used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
Ah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ah!” groaned the old man, “he has forgotten me.”
(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 And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading The old bell-keeper was alone.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
bell-keeper
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The old bell-keeper was alone.
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
blue-eyedadjective
favorite
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
a youthful male person
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
lacking funds
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
clappingnounUS /ˈklæpɪŋ/
a demonstration of approval by clapping the hands together
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
flaxenadjective
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading “Ah!” groaned the old man, “he has forgotten me.”
groanedverbUS /ɡroʊnd/
past form of “groan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading “Ah!” groaned the old man, “he has forgotten me.”
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Ah!” groaned the old man, “he has forgotten me.”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Ah!” groaned the old man, “he has forgotten me.”
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
the sound of laughing
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “Ah!” groaned the old man, “he has forgotten me.”
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 Many minutes passed.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Ah!” groaned the old man, “he has forgotten me.”
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Many minutes passed.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old bell-keeper was alone.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Many minutes passed.
pavementnounUS /ˈpeɪvmənt/
the paved surface of a thoroughfare
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/
the sound of a bell ringing
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
swellingnounUS /ˈswelɪŋ/
an abnormal protuberance or localized enlargement
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The old bell-keeper was alone.
in or at that place or location
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
very small
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
tiptoeverbUS /ˈtɪptoʊ/
walk on one's toes
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The old bell-keeper was alone.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading And there, among the crowd on the pavement, stood the blue-eyed boy, clapping his tiny hands while the breeze blew his flaxen hair all about his face, and, swelling his little chest, he raised himself on tiptoe, and shouted the single word, “Ring!”
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading As the word was upon his lips a merry, ringing laugh broke on his ear.
