used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
afflictingverbUS /əˈflɪktɪŋ/
-ing form of “afflict” — cause great unhappiness for; distress
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
a container that is usually woven and has handles
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
BittersnounUS /ˈbɪtərz/
alcoholic liquor flavored with bitter herbs and roots
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
blissnounUS /blɪs/
a state of extreme happiness
From this reading Oh, quiet, homely scene of bliss, the nation’s pride and glory!
bunions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
Bunkum's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
casketnounUS /ˈkæskət/
box in which a corpse is buried or cremated
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
a small house with a single story
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
countlessadjectiveUS /ˈkaʊntləs/
too numerous to be counted
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
crittersnounUS /ˈkrɪtərz/
plural of “critter” — a regional term for “creature” (especially for domestic animals)
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
dadnounUS /dæd/
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
dancesnounUS /ˈdænsəz/
plural of “dance” — an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
druggistnounUS /ˈdrʌɡɪst/
a health professional trained in the art of preparing and dispensing drugs
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
an old word for “before”
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
Faker's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
firelightnoun
the light of a fire (especially in a fireplace)
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
a state of high honor
From this reading Oh, quiet, homely scene of bliss, the nation’s pride and glory!
grievousadjectiveUS /ˈɡriːvəs/
causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
HogwashnounUS /ˈhɑːɡwɑːʃ/
unacceptable behavior (especially ludicrously false statements)
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
homelyadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊmli/
lacking in physical beauty or proportion
From this reading Oh, quiet, homely scene of bliss, the nation’s pride and glory!
homesnounUS /hoʊmz/
plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time
From this reading And in a million homes like this, dad reads the precious story:
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
illsnounUS /ɪlz/
plural of “ill” — an often persistent bodily disorder or disease; a cause for complaining
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading And in a million homes like this, dad reads the precious story:
English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
millionnounUS /ˈmɪljən/
the number that is represented as a one followed by 6 zeros
From this reading And in a million homes like this, dad reads the precious story:
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
nation'snounUS /ˈneɪʃənz/
possessive form of “nation” — a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Oh, quiet, homely scene of bliss, the nation’s pride and glory!
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading Oh, quiet, homely scene of bliss, the nation’s pride and glory!
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
phonenounUS /foʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
pillsnounUS /pɪlz/
plural of “pill” — something that resembles a tablet of medicine in shape or size
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
pimplesnounUS /ˈpɪmpəlz/
plural of “pimple” — a small inflamed elevation of the skin; a pustule or papule; common symptom in acne
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
characterized by feeling or showing fond affection for
From this reading And in a million homes like this, dad reads the precious story:
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading Oh, quiet, homely scene of bliss, the nation’s pride and glory!
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading Oh, quiet, homely scene of bliss, the nation’s pride and glory!
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
readsnounUS /riːdz/
plural of “read” — something that is read
From this reading And in a million homes like this, dad reads the precious story:
ringbones
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
except for; apart from
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Oh, quiet, homely scene of bliss, the nation’s pride and glory!
cause to go somewhere
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
sitsverbUS /sɪts/
third-person singular of “sit” — be seated
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
Skookum's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
speedingnounUS /ˈspiːdɪŋ/
changing location rapidly
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
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 And in a million homes like this, dad reads the precious story:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And in a million homes like this, dad reads the precious story:
ticksnounUS /tɪks/
plural of “tick” — a metallic tapping sound
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
toesnounUS /toʊz/
plural of “toe” — one of the digits of the foot
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “Oh, countless are the grievous ills, afflicting human critters, but we have always Bunkum’s Pills, and Skookum’s Hogwash Bitters.
in or at the place that
From this reading The clock ticks on the cottage wall, and marks the minutes’ speeding; the firelight dances in the hall, on dad, where he sits reading.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
you're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “If you have pimples on your nose or bunions on your shoulder, if you have ringbones on your toes—ere you’re a minute older call up the druggist on the phone and have him send a basket of Faker’s pills, for they alone will save you from a casket.”
