used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
AmericansnounUS /əˈmerəkənz/
plural of “american” — a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
bestirred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
a state at a particular time
From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
furnacenounUS /ˈfɜːrnəs/
an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
Gerhardt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
GermanynounUS /ˈdʒɜːrməni/
a republic in central Europe; split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
Hyde
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
inmatenounUS /ˈɪnmeɪt/
one of several resident of a dwelling (especially someone confined to a prison or hospital)
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
instinctivelyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪvliː/
as a matter of instinct
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
Jennie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
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 In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
laborsnounUS /ˈleɪbərz/
plural of “labor” — a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
Lester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
on one occasion
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
outragedadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtreɪdʒd/
angered at something unjust or wrong
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
outsidernounUS /ˌaʊtˈsaɪ.dər/
A person who does not belong to a particular group or community; a stranger.
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
a large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
pruningnounUS /ˈpruːnɪŋ/
something that has been pruned off of a plant
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
cut with a saw
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
shiftlessadjectiveUS /ˈʃɪftlɪs/
lacking or characterized by lack of ambition or initiative; lazy
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
the season of growth
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading In Germany they knew how to care for such things, but these Americans were so shiftless.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The trees, he declared to Jennie, were in a dreadful condition.
at the time that
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Gerhardt, having become an inmate of the Hyde Park home, at once bestirred himself about the labors which he felt instinctively concerned him.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If Lester would get him a pruning knife and a saw he would attend to them in the spring.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading He took charge of the furnace and the yard, outraged at the thought that good money should be paid to any outsider when he had nothing to do.
