used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
(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 JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Almost every little boy owned a ship.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
Ball'snounUS /bɔːlz/
possessive form of “ball” — round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading Captain Ball’s dolls and ships were popular with the children of Seabury.
Betsy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
a youthful male person
From this reading Almost every little boy owned a ship.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
carvedadjectiveUS /kɑːrvd/
made for or formed by carving (“carven” is archaic or literary)
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Captain Ball’s dolls and ships were popular with the children of Seabury.
clothing in general
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
dollnounUS /dɑːl/
a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading Almost every little girl owned a doll.
dollsnounUS /dɑːlz/
plural of “doll” — a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
dressmakernounUS /ˈdresmeɪkər/
someone who makes or mends dresses
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Almost every little boy owned a ship.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
fashionedadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənd/
planned and made or fashioned artistically
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
a young female
From this reading Almost every little girl owned a doll.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
a small worthless amount
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
jack-knife
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
JOLLYadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɑːli/
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Almost every little boy owned a ship.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
ownedadjectiveUS /oʊnd/
having an owner; often used in combination
From this reading Almost every little boy owned a ship.
coated with paint
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public
From this reading Captain Ball’s dolls and ships were popular with the children of Seabury.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
sailmakernoun
a maker of sails
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
sailsnounUS /seɪlz/
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
salenounUS /seɪl/
a particular instance of selling
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
Seabury
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Captain Ball’s dolls and ships were popular with the children of Seabury.
transport commercially
From this reading Almost every little boy owned a ship.
plural of “ship” — a vessel that carries passengers or freight
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
do one's shopping
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
TARnounUS /tɑːr/
any of various dark heavy viscid substances obtained as a residue
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
toynounUS /tɔɪ/
an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
toysnounUS /tɔɪz/
plural of “toy” — an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading JOLLY JACK TAR Captain Ball kept a toy shop, and all he had for sale were dolls and ships.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Captain Ball’s dolls and ships were popular with the children of Seabury.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading He fashioned the toys himself, carved out of wood by his keen jack-knife and painted to suit his own fancy, while his sister, Miss Betsy Ball, made the clothes for the dolls and the sails for the ships quite as well as any dressmaker or sailmaker in town.
