used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
(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 It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
an onerous or difficult concern
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
burstsnounUS /bɜːrsts/
plural of “burst” — the act of exploding or bursting
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
comic-story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
dispossessedadjectiveUS /ˌdɪspəˈzest/
physically or spiritually homeless or deprived of security
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
at any time
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
explosionnounUS /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
funniestadjectiveUS /ˈfʌniəst/
superlative of “funny” — arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
gaspings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
horse-laughter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
humorous-story
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
and nothing more
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
narratornounUS /ˈnereɪtər/
someone who tells a story
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
nubnounUS /nʌb/
a small lump or protuberance
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
and nothing more
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
perplexitynounUS /pərˈpleksəti/
trouble or confusion resulting from complexity
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
repeatingnounUS /rɪˈpiːtɪŋ/
the act of doing or performing again
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
RileynounUS /ˈraɪli/
United States poet (1849-1916)
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
shriekings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
term of address for a man
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
suffocatings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
express in words
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
plural of “tell” — a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
a special situation
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
thunderousadjectiveUS /ˈθʌndərəs/
loud enough to cause (temporary) hearing loss
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
WASauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then after a pause he added, “But he TOLD me IT WAS HIS LEG--” Here the narrator bursts into explosion after explosion of thunderous horse-laughter, repeating that nub from time to time through his gaspings and shriekings and suffocatings.
Whereupon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whereupon the soldier dispossessed himself of his burden, and stood looking down upon it in great perplexity.
Whitcomb
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Put into the humorous-story form it takes ten minutes, and is about the funniest thing I have ever listened to--as James Whitcomb Riley tells it.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading It takes only a minute and a half to tell that in its comic-story form; and isn't worth the telling, after all.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading At length he said: “It is true, sir, just as you have said.”
