used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
adjacentadjectiveUS /əˈdʒeɪsənt/
nearest in space or position; immediately adjoining without intervening space
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
the event of one object coming closer to another
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
apronnounUS /ˈeɪprən/
a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading “You have the horse ready, too, Billy?”
blackeradjectiveUS /ˈblækər/
comparative of “black” — being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
someone who is a detective
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading “Then follow, and keep up with me, remember.”
footfalls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
gignounUS /ɡɪɡ/
long and light rowing boat; especially for racing
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading “Yis, sir,” said Billy, touching his hat.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “You have the horse ready, too, Billy?”
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading “Then follow, and keep up with me, remember.”
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
marenounUS /mer/
female equine animal
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Then follow, and keep up with me, remember.”
past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
not any; not one
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
pitchnounUS /pɪtʃ/
the property of sound that varies with variation in the frequency of vibration
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
rattleverbUS /ˈrætəl/
make short successive sounds
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading “You have the horse ready, too, Billy?”
To recall to mind.
From this reading “Then follow, and keep up with me, remember.”
roundingnounUS /ˈraʊndɪŋ/
(mathematics) a miscalculation that results from rounding off numbers to a convenient number of decimals
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Yis, sir,” said Billy, touching his hat.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
servant-boy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
term of address for a man
From this reading “Yis, sir,” said Billy, touching his hat.
smartadjectiveUS /smɑːrt/
showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading “Then follow, and keep up with me, remember.”
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “You have the horse ready, too, Billy?”
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
arousing affect
From this reading “Yis, sir,” said Billy, touching his hat.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading On the vehicle coming up, Dick took his little mare, that was blacker than the night, by the head, the apron of the gig was thrown down, and out jumped a smart servant-boy.
vehiclenounUS /ˈviːhɪkəl/
a conveyance that transports people or objects
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The night was pitch dark, and on rounding the adjacent corner no vehicle could be seen; but a peculiar whistle from Dick was answered by the sound of approaching wheels and the rapid footfalls of a horse, mingled with the light rattle of a smart gig.
Yis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Yis, sir,” said Billy, touching his hat.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You have the horse ready, too, Billy?”
