used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
Abe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Pigeons!” said Abe.
AboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
AllennounUS /ˈælən/
United States comedienne remembered as the confused but imperturbable partner of her husband, George Burns (1906-1964)
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The great flight of birds came swiftly.
bluffsnounUS /blʌfs/
plural of “bluff” — a high steep bank (usually formed by river erosion)
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The great flight of birds came swiftly.
chancedverbUS /tʃænst/
past form of “chance” — be the case by chance
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
exclamationnounUS /ˌekskləˈmeɪʃən/
an abrupt excited utterance
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
flatboat's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading The great flight of birds came swiftly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
following the third position; number four in a countable series
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
fowling-piece
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The great flight of birds came swiftly.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
KentuckynounUS /kənˈtʌki/
a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
the middle of the day
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
peelingnounUS /ˈpiːlɪŋ/
loss of bits of outer skin by peeling or shedding or coming off in scales
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
PigeonsnounUS /ˈpɪdʒənz/
plural of “pigeon” — wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
From this reading “Pigeons!” said Abe.
potatoesnounUS /pəˈteɪtoʊz/
plural of “potato” — an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Pigeons!” said Abe.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
southwardadverbUS /ˈsaʊθwərd/
toward the south
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
springingverbUS /ˈsprɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
in a swift manner
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
TadnounUS /tæd/
a slight amount or degree of difference
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading And Allen, springing to his feet, ran back under the shelter to get his fowling-piece.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
an act of traveling by water
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
at the time that
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading Above the Kentucky bluffs a cloud was rising swiftly--a living cloud of beating wings.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading They were peeling potatoes for the noon meal on the fourth day of the flatboat’s voyage when Tad chanced to look off to the southward and stood up suddenly, with an exclamation of wonder.
