used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
addressingverbUS /əˈdresɪŋ/
-ing form of “address” — speak to
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
(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 “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
react verbally
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
Bigden
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
consultationnounUS /ˌkɑːnsəlˈteɪʃən/
a conference (usually with someone important)
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
COOKERYnoun
the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
From this reading FOREST COOKERY.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
-ing form of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading FOREST COOKERY.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
immediately past
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
mud-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
-ing form of “point” — indicate a place, direction, person, or thing; either spatially or figuratively
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
purposelyadverbUS /ˈpɜːrpəsli/
with intention; in an intentional manner
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
with speed
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
precisely, exactly
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
Roy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
cut with a saw
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
for a short time
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
caught or fixed
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
male cat
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
at the time that
From this reading “The last time I saw you, you were bringing up the rear all right, but when we lost the trail and stopped to hold a consultation, you were not to be seen.”
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Pointing to his boots, which he had purposely stuck into a mud-hole, shortly after his companions left him, he said:
in the company of; together with
From this reading Tom had been expecting this, and he was ready with his answer.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “HOW in the world did you manage to get separated from us so quickly?” asked Roy, addressing himself to Tom Bigden.
