Chapter IX · Chapter 9

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

(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 He isn't a circus animal at all."

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading He isn't a circus animal at all."

plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

gymnastic apparatus consisting of two parallel wooden rods supported on uprights

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "Well, well! it must be true.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

a youthful male person

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

a Spanish gentleman or nobleman

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

only a very short time before

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He isn't a circus animal at all."

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading "Well, well! it must be true.

a location marked by an intense competition and struggle for survival

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

large or big relative to something else

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

large gregarious predatory feline of Africa and India having a tawny coat with a shaggy mane in the male

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

the force of workers available

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

to a great degree or extent

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading "Well, well! it must be true.

Roman Emperor notorious for his monstrous vice and fantastic luxury (was said to have started a fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64) but the Roman Empire remained prosperous during his rule (37-68)

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

not one, and not any

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

used of British soldiers during the American Revolutionary War because of their red coats

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

an easy victory

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

cut with a saw

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

plural of “scare” — sudden mass fear and anxiety over anticipated events

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading At first the lion boy could hardly believe that Don was not one of the circus animals.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading "Well, well! it must be true.

hard to endure

From this reading But as the lion, looking out through the bars of his cage, saw Don running about and none of the red-coated circus men trying to catch him, he said:

precisely as stated

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

(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, well! it must be true.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

at the time that

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.

which person or people

From this reading NERO SCARES A BOY Nero, the circus lion, who was much larger now than when he had been caught in a jungle trap, was very much surprised at what Don, the runaway dog told him.