18
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
(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 On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was no mail at that time.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading There began to be talk of war with England.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading There began to be talk of war with England.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
cakenounUS /keɪk/
a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
CountiesnounUS /ˈkaʊntiz/
plural of “county” — (United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading News was eagerly watched for.
the act of consuming food
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading There began to be talk of war with England.
(Old Testament) Adam's wife in Judeo-Christian mythology: the first woman and mother of the human race; God created Eve from Adam's rib and placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
feastingnounUS /ˈfiːstɪŋ/
eating an elaborate meal (often accompanied by entertainment)
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
firingnounUS /ˈfaɪrɪŋ/
the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
gamesnounUS /ɡeɪmz/
plural of “game” — a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
holidaysnounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪz/
plural of “holiday” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
horsebacknounUS /ˈhɔːrsbæk/
the back of a horse
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
the literary culture
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
mailnounUS /meɪl/
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading There was no mail at that time.
messengersnounUS /ˈmesəndʒərz/
plural of “messenger” — a person who carries a message
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
information about recent and important events
From this reading News was eagerly watched for.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no mail at that time.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
pleasantlyadverbUS /ˈplezəntli/
in a cheerful manner
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
the sport of sitting on the back of a horse while controlling its movements
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
stage-coach
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading There began to be talk of war with England.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was no mail at that time.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
in or at that place or location
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading There was no mail at that time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
traveledadjectiveUS /ˈtrævəld/
traveled over or through; sometimes used as a combining term
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
TwelfthadjectiveUS /twelfθ/
coming next after the eleventh and just before the thirteenth in position
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
universaladjectiveUS /ˌjuːnəˈvɜːrsəl/
of worldwide scope or applicability
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading There began to be talk of war with England.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading News was eagerly watched for.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Letters were carried by stage-coach, or by messengers riding on horseback from town to town.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There began to be talk of war with England.
a late time of life
From this reading On Christmas Eve there was a universal firing of guns, and all through the holidays the people traveled from house to house, feasting and eating Twelfth cake, and playing games.[18] So for years, life slipped pleasantly by in these southern Counties, and then suddenly there came a change.
