used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
(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 “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
biggestadjectiveUS /ˈbɪɡəst/
superlative of “big” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
the two together, not just one
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
brakemannounUS /ˈbreɪkmən/
a railroad employee responsible for a train's brakes
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
conductornounUS /kənˈdʌktər/
the person who leads a musical group
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
in a manner differing from the usual or expected
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
faresnounUS /ferz/
plural of “fare” — an agenda of things to do
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
made afraid
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
goin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
half-past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
judgin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
and nothing more
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
parcelsnounUS /ˈpɑːrsəlz/
plural of “parcel” — a wrapped container
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
plural of “passenger” — a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
Peak's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
on the contrary
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
precisely, exactly
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
in or at or to some place
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
carry out
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
they've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They look as if they were goin’ somewhere to stay, judgin’ by the parcels they’ve got.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
create by training and teaching
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “They paid their fares all right,” the conductor answered, “and the biggest one looked pretty well able to take care of herself.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were almost the only passengers, and as they passed out of the car, both conductor and brakeman looked after them curiously.
at the time that
From this reading LOOKING FOR A SITUATION It was nearly half-past seven when the slow morning train drew up at the Peak’s Point Station and four solemn, rather frightened little passengers stepped out upon the platform.
in or at the place that
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading “Now I wonder where them young ones can be off to at this time of the morning,” the brakeman remarked.
