used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
activitiesnounUS /ækˈtɪvətiz/
plural of “activity” — any specific behavior
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
apparatusnounUS /ˌæpərˈætəs/
equipment designed to serve a specific function
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
bellowingnounUS /ˈbeloʊɪŋ/
a very loud utterance (like the sound of an animal)
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
boastverbUS /boʊst/
show off
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
a youthful male person
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
constituteverbUS /ˈkɑːnstətuːt/
form or compose
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
eldersnounUS /ˈeldərz/
plural of “elder” — a person who is older than you are
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading It was not exactly the spirit of service that impelled him.
firemennounUS /ˈfaɪrmən/
plural of “fireman” — play in which children pretend to put out a fire
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
GaragenounUS /ɡərˈɑːʒ/
an outbuilding (or part of a building) for housing automobiles
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
gratuitousadjectiveUS /ɡrəˈtuːətəs/
without cause
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
Hervey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It was not exactly the spirit of service that impelled him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
impelledadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpeld/
urged or forced to action through moral pressure
From this reading It was not exactly the spirit of service that impelled him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was not exactly the spirit of service that impelled him.
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 His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
laborsnounUS /ˈleɪbərz/
plural of “labor” — a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
manualnounUS /ˈmænjuːəl/
a small handbook
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
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 His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
mechanicnounUS /məˈkænɪk/
a craftsman skilled in operating machine tools
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
the force of workers available
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
MohawknounUS /ˈmoʊhɔːk/
a member of the Iroquoian people formerly living along the Mohawk River in New York State
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not exactly the spirit of service that impelled him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was not exactly the spirit of service that impelled him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
OVERprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
perchedverbUS /pɜːrtʃt/
past form of “perch” — sit, as on a branch
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
past form of “render” — cause to become
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
smashup
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading It was not exactly the spirit of service that impelled him.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was not exactly the spirit of service that impelled him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
in or at that place or location
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
the upper part of anything
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
utilitynounUS /juːˈtɪləti/
a company that performs a public service; subject to government regulation
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
(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 His boast that he knew the firemen was well made; he had many times been allowed to ride to fires on the bellowing apparatus.
at any time that; every time that
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
which person or people
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
Willetts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
wontnounUS /woʊnt/
an established custom
From this reading Next to being alone he liked to be mixed up in the manual activities of men and he was wont to constitute himself a sort of utility boy in their labors.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading OVER THE TOP There probably was never a boy in the world who rendered so much gratuitous service to his elders as Hervey Willetts.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
wreckingnounUS /ˈrekɪŋ/
the event of a structure being completely demolished and leveled
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Whenever the red wrecking car from the Mohawk Garage arrived upon the scene of a smashup, you would be pretty sure to see Hervey perched upon the seat with the mechanic.
