used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
AFTERprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading AFTER all, little May did have her heart's desire!
(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 AFTER all, little May did have her heart's desire!
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
comin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading MAY'S HEART'S DESIRE.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading AFTER all, little May did have her heart's desire!
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
elmsnounUS /elmz/
plural of “elm” — any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
opinion or judgment
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
your parents
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
characterized by charm, good taste, and generosity of spirit
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading AFTER all, little May did have her heart's desire!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
HEART'SnounUS /hɑːrts/
possessive form of “heart” — the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading MAY'S HEART'S DESIRE.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading AFTER all, little May did have her heart's desire!
hide-and-seeknoun
a game in which a child covers his eyes while the other players hide then tries to find them
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading AFTER all, little May did have her heart's desire!
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 One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading AFTER all, little May did have her heart's desire!
MAY'SnounUS /meɪz/
possessive form of “may” — the month following April and preceding June
From this reading MAY'S HEART'S DESIRE.
a particular point in time
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
not one thing; not anything
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
participate in games or sport
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
playin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
with low volume
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
having a supporting base
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
not in physical motion
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
happening unexpectedly
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
in a swift manner
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
ud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
at the time that
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
a Caucasian
From this reading May started and turned white, and all the rest stood still with beating hearts as the carriage came swiftly down the hill.
which person or people
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One day, when they were in the Long Walk, and were playing hide-and-seek among the elms, thinking of nothing but their play, an old man, who was standing watching them with a kindly gleam in his eyes, suddenly pulled himself up, and took off his old battered hat.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading "That's my gracious lady the Queen comin' down," he said quietly, "if you young folks 'ud stop playin' jest a moment."
