used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
(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 I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
armfulnoun
the quantity that can be contained in the arms
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading I was doggone embarrassed, but not Mark.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
doggone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was doggone embarrassed, but not Mark.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
embarrassedadjectiveUS /ɪmˈberəst/
feeling or caused to feel ill at ease or self-conscious or ashamed
From this reading I was doggone embarrassed, but not Mark.
at any time
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He _liked_ it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading He _liked_ it.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading I was doggone embarrassed, but not Mark.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
the force of workers available
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I was doggone embarrassed, but not Mark.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
praisedverbUS /preɪzd/
past form of “praise” — express approval of
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
express in words
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
move or cause to move back and forth
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
a person, without saying who
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
swell-headed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I was doggone embarrassed, but not Mark.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Not that he was ever swell-headed, but he did love to be praised, and this time he was getting a whole armful of it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
wouldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I wouldn’t have believed it, and I wouldn’t have believed it if somebody had told me those big business men would all get up and come over and shake hands with us four boys and say such things to us as they did.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Well, you could have knocked me down with a straw.
