used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
AutomaticallyadverbUS /ˌɔːtəˈmætɪkli/
in a reflex manner
From this reading Automatically her fingers fitted into place a fringe of red cloth.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading Automatically her fingers fitted into place a fringe of red cloth.
CREAKS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
crunchverbUS /krʌntʃ/
make a crushing noise
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
decorationnounUS /ˌdekərˈeɪʃən/
something used to beautify
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading Automatically her fingers fitted into place a fringe of red cloth.
fireplacenounUS /ˈfaɪərpleɪs/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/
being the right size and shape to fit as desired
From this reading Automatically her fingers fitted into place a fringe of red cloth.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
fringenounUS /frɪndʒ/
the outside boundary or surface of something
From this reading Automatically her fingers fitted into place a fringe of red cloth.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
gun-cover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
an instinctive motive
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
Jessie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
leathernounUS /ˈleðər/
an animal skin made smooth and flexible by removing the hair and then tanning
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
listlesslyadverbUS /ˈlɪstləsli/
in a listless manner
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
moosenounUS /muːs/
large northern deer with enormous flattened antlers in the male; called “elk” in Europe and “moose” in North America
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
MorsenounUS /mɔːrs/
a telegraph code in which letters and numbers are represented by strings of dots and dashes (short and long signals)
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
petticoatnounUS /ˈpetikoʊt/
undergarment worn under a skirt
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Automatically her fingers fitted into place a fringe of red cloth.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
an angry dispute
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
get something; come into possession of
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Automatically her fingers fitted into place a fringe of red cloth.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
the place where something begins, where it springs into being
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
subduedadjectiveUS /səbˈduːd/
in a softened tone
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading A BOARD CREAKS After Morse had closed the door, Jessie listened until the crisp crunch of his footsteps had died away.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
under normal conditions
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading From the table she picked up a gun-cover of moose leather she was making and moved to the fireplace.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
which person or people
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
the words that are spoken
From this reading She subdued an impulse to call him back and put into words her quarrel against him.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading (This had been cut from an old petticoat, but the source of the decoration would remain a secret, not on any account to be made known to him who was to receive the gift.) Usually her hands were busy ones, but now they fell away from the work listlessly.
