used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
arns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They say she's powerful smart--arns her livin' by it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
cause to be bored
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They say she's powerful smart--arns her livin' by it.
changeableadjectiveUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəbəl/
capable of or tending to change in form or quality or nature
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
dancesnounUS /ˈdænsəz/
plural of “dance” — an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
drawledverbUS /drɔːld/
past form of “drawl” — lengthen and slow down or draw out
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
a person who is older than you are
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
festivitiesnounUS /feˈstɪvətiz/
plural of “festivity” — any joyous diversion
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
start firing a weapon
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
galnounUS /ɡæl/
United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
gamesnounUS /ɡeɪmz/
plural of “game” — a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
hes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
incongruousadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋˈkɔːŋruːəs/
lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
having or showing interest; especially curiosity or fascination or concern
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They say she's powerful smart--arns her livin' by it.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
livin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They say she's powerful smart--arns her livin' by it.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
middle-agedadjectiveUS /ˈmɪdəleɪɡd/
being roughly between 45 and 65 years old
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
mountaineernounUS /ˈmaʊntɪnɪr/
someone who climbs mountains
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
placidadjectiveUS /ˈplæsəd/
(of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading They say she's powerful smart--arns her livin' by it.
primitiveadjectiveUS /ˈprɪmətɪv/
belonging to an early stage of technical development; characterized by simplicity and (often) crudeness
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
printnounUS /prɪnt/
the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
with low volume
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
on the contrary
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
regularitynounUS /ˌreɡjəˈlerəti/
a property of polygons: the property of having equal sides and equal angles
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
relishnounUS /ˈrelɪʃ/
vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
express in words
From this reading They say she's powerful smart--arns her livin' by it.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
she's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They say she's powerful smart--arns her livin' by it.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
smartadjectiveUS /smɑːrt/
showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
From this reading They say she's powerful smart--arns her livin' by it.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
spatverbUS /spæt/
come down like raindrops
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
to a sufficient degree
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
supportedadjectiveUS /səˈpɔːrtɪd/
sustained or maintained by aid (as distinct from physical support)
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
express in words
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
thar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
Thet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
uncouthnessnoun
inelegance by virtue of being an uncouth boor
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
precisely as stated
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
(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 They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were rather an incongruous element amid the festivities, but they bore themselves very well, notwithstanding, and seemed to be sufficiently interested.
which person or people
From this reading “Thet gal thar,” drawled a tall mountaineer who supported himself against the chimney and spat with placid regularity into the fire.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
writnounUS /rɪt/
(law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer
From this reading “They tell me thet gal thar hes writ things as hes been in print.
used of the younger of two persons of the same name especially used to distinguish a son from his father
From this reading The elder of the two--a tall, slender, middle-aged woman, with a somewhat severe, though delicate face--sat quietly apart, looking on at the rough dances and games with a keen relish of their primitive uncouthness; but the younger, a slight, alert creature, moved here and there, her large, changeable eyes looking larger through their glow of excitement.
