used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
arousedadjectiveUS /ərˈaʊzd/
aroused to action
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
backwardadverbUS /ˈbækwərd/
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "By my Great-aunt's rump, and who may you be?" enquired Master Nathaniel testily.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
crouchingverbUS /ˈkraʊtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
drowsilyadverb
in a drowsy manner
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
enquired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By my Great-aunt's rump, and who may you be?" enquired Master Nathaniel testily.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
Great-aunt's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "By my Great-aunt's rump, and who may you be?" enquired Master Nathaniel testily.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
half-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading WHO IS PORTUNUS?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
the sound of laughing
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "By my Great-aunt's rump, and who may you be?" enquired Master Nathaniel testily.
middaynounUS /ˈmɪddeɪ/
the middle of the day
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "By my Great-aunt's rump, and who may you be?" enquired Master Nathaniel testily.
Nathaniel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
odd-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
PORTUNUSnoun
type genus of the family Portunidae
From this reading WHO IS PORTUNUS?
on the contrary
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
recliningnounUS /rɪˈklaɪnɪŋ/
the act of assuming or maintaining a reclining position
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
rumpnounUS /rʌmp/
the part of an animal that corresponds to the human buttocks
From this reading "By my Great-aunt's rump, and who may you be?" enquired Master Nathaniel testily.
cut with a saw
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
SwanverbUS /swɑːn/
to declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
testilyadverbUS /ˈtestəli/
in a petulant manner
From this reading "By my Great-aunt's rump, and who may you be?" enquired Master Nathaniel testily.
tetheredadjectiveUS /ˈteðərd/
confined or restricted with or as if with a rope or chain
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
precisely as stated
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
warmernounUS /ˈwɔːrmər/
device that heats water or supplies warmth to a room
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading About half-way to Swan, Master Nathaniel, having tethered his horse to a tree, was reclining drowsily under the shade of another.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading It was midday, and the further west he rode the warmer it grew; it was rather as if he were riding backward through the months.
which person or people
From this reading WHO IS PORTUNUS?
in the company of; together with
From this reading Suddenly he was aroused by a dry little laugh, and looking round, he saw crouching beside him, an odd-looking old man, with very bright eyes.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "By my Great-aunt's rump, and who may you be?" enquired Master Nathaniel testily.
