used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
any thing at all
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
(used of persons or the military) characterized by having or bearing arms
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
bandsmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
lacking funds
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
Cornelius
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
drumnounUS /drʌm/
a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
formingverbUS /ˈfɔːrmɪŋ/
-ing form of “form” — create (as an entity)
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
having or involving the use of hands
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
instrumentsnounUS /ˈɪnstrəmənts/
plural of “instrument” — a device that requires skill for proper use
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
JimmyverbUS /ˈdʒɪmi/
to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
largestadjectiveUS /ˈlɑːrdʒəst/
superlative of “large” — above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading This seemed very likely.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
McLoughlin's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
O'Farrelly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
and nothing more
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
arrange in a container
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
the force of policemen and officers
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
rebelsnounUS /ˈrebəlz/
plural of “rebel” — “Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
RepublicansnounUS /rɪˈpʌblɪkənz/
plural of “republican” — a member of the Republican Party
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
except for; apart from
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading This seemed very likely.
settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
smithereensnounUS /ˌsmɪðərˈiːnz/
a collection of small fragments considered as a whole
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
sticksnounUS /stɪks/
plural of “stick” — an implement consisting of a length of wood
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This seemed very likely.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
precisely as stated
From this reading This seemed very likely.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
we're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Jimmy McLoughlin’s bandsmen, armed with sticks and stones, were forming up on the road.
which person or people
From this reading It was Cornelius O’Farrelly who made an attempt to save the situation.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Sure, if I settle that with him,” said Jimmy, “in the only way anything could be settled with a pack of rebels, the instruments will be broke into smithereens before we’re done.”
WolfenounUS /wʊlf/
United States writer who has written extensively on American culture (born in 1931)
From this reading The police had already handed over the largest drum to one of the leading Wolfe Tone Republicans.
