used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
a-matter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Now what a-matter, honey?" asked the soothing old voice.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Now what a-matter, honey?" asked the soothing old voice.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
bref
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
chilenounUS /ˈtʃɪli/
a republic in southern South America on the western slopes of the Andes on the south Pacific coast
From this reading "Lorr de massy, chile!
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading "Lorr de massy, chile!
opinion or judgment
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
having the pinkish flush of health
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
cause to move by striking
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
honeynounUS /ˈhʌni/
a sweet yellow liquid produced by bees
From this reading "Now what a-matter, honey?" asked the soothing old voice.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
Leezer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
liftingverbUS /ˈlɪftɪŋ/
-ing form of “lift” — raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
Lorr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Lorr de massy, chile!
Mammynoun
an offensive term for a Black nursemaid in the southern U.S.
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
massy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Lorr de massy, chile!
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Now what a-matter, honey?" asked the soothing old voice.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
outen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
PARSONnounUS /ˈpɑːrsən/
a person authorized to conduct religious worship
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
SallynounUS /ˈsæli/
witty remark
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
Sally'snounUS /ˈsæliz/
possessive form of “sally” — witty remark
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
cut with a saw
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
scareverbUS /sker/
cause fear in
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
soothingadjectiveUS /ˈsuːðɪŋ/
affording physical relief
From this reading "Now what a-matter, honey?" asked the soothing old voice.
staffnounUS /stæf/
personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
swollenadjectiveUS /ˈswoʊlən/
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
in or at that place or location
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
having come into contact
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It took but a look or two to see Sally's swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading "Now what a-matter, honey?" asked the soothing old voice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Now what a-matter, honey?" asked the soothing old voice.
at the time that
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading THE PARSON Sally had slept but a little while when something hit her arm, which was stretched out, and lifting her head, she heard a startled cry.
belonging to which person
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You nearly scare de bref outen my body!" and there was Mammy Leezer, whose staff had touched her arm before the old woman saw her from the side of a tree.
