used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
(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 There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
AllennounUS /ˈælən/
United States comedienne remembered as the confused but imperturbable partner of her husband, George Burns (1906-1964)
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
chumnounUS /tʃʌm/
a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading Lanky Wallace looked at Frank, and Frank looked at his chum.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
plural of “family” — a social unit living together
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
forksnounUS /fɔːrks/
plural of “fork” — cutlery used for serving and eating food
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
coins made of gold
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Lanky Wallace looked at Frank, and Frank looked at his chum.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
plural of “hundred” — ten 10s
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
and nothing more
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
knivesnounUS /naɪvz/
plural of “knife” — edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
LankyadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋki/
tall and thin and having long slender limbs
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
linedadjectiveUS /laɪnd/
bordered by a line of things
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
literallyadverbUS /ˈlɪtərəli/
in a literal sense
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
plural of “piece” — a separate part of a whole
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
pitchersnounUS /ˈpɪtʃərz/
plural of “pitcher” — (baseball) the person who does the pitching
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
platesnounUS /pleɪts/
plural of “plate” — (baseball) base consisting of a rubber slab where the batter stands; it must be touched by a base runner in order to score
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
saladnounUS /ˈsæləd/
food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing; usually consisting of or including greens
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
cut with a saw
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
shellsnounUS /ʃelz/
plural of “shell” — ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
sizesnounUS /ˈsaɪzəz/
plural of “size” — the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
spoonsnounUS /spuːnz/
plural of “spoon” — a piece of cutlery with a shallow bowl-shaped container and a handle; used to stir or serve or take up food
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
sterlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɜːrlɪŋ/
highest in quality
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
vindicatedadjectiveUS /ˈvɪndəkeɪtɪd/
freed from any question of guilt
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
WallacenounUS /ˈwɔːləs/
Scottish insurgent who led the resistance to Edward I; in 1297 he gained control of Scotland briefly until Edward invaded Scotland again and defeated Wallace and subsequently executed him (1270-1305)
From this reading Lanky Wallace looked at Frank, and Frank looked at his chum.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
weeadjectiveUS /wiː/
(used informally) very small
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were knives and forks, and many spoons of all sizes and kinds; there were plates and salad pieces, small pitchers and shells, some gold lined and others plain sterling silver; literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces, enough for a dozen families.
at the time that
From this reading STOPPED BY THE HAND OF FATE Though such an idea had been finding a home in the brain of Frank Allen, it was a distinct shock to him when he saw the contents of that chest.
which person or people
From this reading Across the face of each stole a smile, just a wee smile of one who knew his honor could now be vindicated.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Lanky gasped in the utmost surprise, and looked at the many pieces with wide eyes.
