used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
antnounUS /ænt/
social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers
From this reading "A blind, flying ant did that," said Fil.
ANTSnounUS /ænts/
plural of “ant” — social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
backbonenounUS /ˈbækboʊn/
a central cohesive source of support and stability
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
backwoodsnounUS /ˈbæˈkwʊdz/
a remote and undeveloped area
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading "Not a bit of it," said Fil.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading "A blind, flying ant did that," said Fil.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
buffalo-wagon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
collapsedverbUS /kəˈlæpst/
past form of “collapse” — break down, literally or metaphorically
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "A blind, flying ant did that," said Fil.
Fil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "A blind, flying ant did that," said Fil.
moving swiftly
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
homewardadverbUS /ˈhoʊmwərd/
toward home
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Not a bit of it," said Fil.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
LOCUSTSnounUS /ˈloʊkəsts/
plural of “locust” — migratory grasshoppers of warm regions having short antennae
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Not a bit of it," said Fil.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Not a bit of it," said Fil.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "A blind, flying ant did that," said Fil.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "A blind, flying ant did that," said Fil.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading FLYING ANTS AND LOCUSTS We all climbed back into the buffalo-wagon, to go homeward.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading On the way, we passed a house which had collapsed in the middle, as though a great weight had broken its backbone.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Now, Fil, you really think I'm from the backwoods; you wish me to believe impossible tales," I replied.
