used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
Billy'snounUS /ˈbɪliz/
possessive form of “billy” — a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading She sat now upon a tall chest, her feet dangling dejectedly.
past form of “clasp” — hold firmly and tightly
From this reading There were marks of tears upon her face and she held her hands nervously clasped.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
danglingnounUS /ˈdæŋɡəlɪŋ/
the act of suspending something (hanging it from above so it moves freely)
From this reading She sat now upon a tall chest, her feet dangling dejectedly.
dejectedlyadverb
in a dejected manner
From this reading She sat now upon a tall chest, her feet dangling dejectedly.
characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading There were marks of tears upon her face and she held her hands nervously clasped.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading She sat now upon a tall chest, her feet dangling dejectedly.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading There were marks of tears upon her face and she held her hands nervously clasped.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading There were marks of tears upon her face and she held her hands nervously clasped.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
Hester
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
impatiencenounUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəns/
a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
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 She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)
From this reading There were marks of tears upon her face and she held her hands nervously clasped.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
nervouslyadverbUS /ˈnɜːrvəsli/
in an anxiously nervous manner
From this reading There were marks of tears upon her face and she held her hands nervously clasped.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading She sat now upon a tall chest, her feet dangling dejectedly.
an educational institution
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
SidneynounUS /ˈsɪdni/
English poet (1554-1586)
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading She sat now upon a tall chest, her feet dangling dejectedly.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading There were marks of tears upon her face and she held her hands nervously clasped.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading She sat now upon a tall chest, her feet dangling dejectedly.
precisely as stated
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The visit of her uncle had been of enough importance for Ruth to be kept home from school and she was now in a very excited state of mind.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had waited with much impatience Billy's return from school, for there were many things which she must ask him, things which she felt she could not question Miss Hester about.
wood-shed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Uncle Sidney THE next afternoon, Ruth and Billy had a long and earnest talk in the wood-shed.
