used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
alighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Bats are very numerous in these parts.
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 I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
batnounUS /bæt/
nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
BatsadjectiveUS /bæts/
informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
From this reading Bats are very numerous in these parts.
beast-insect
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
accept as true; take to be true
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
blindlyadverbUS /ˈblaɪndli/
without seeing or looking
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
commotionnounUS /kəˈmoʊʃən/
a disorderly outburst or tumult
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Probably he was put to death.
(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
drolladjectiveUS /droʊl/
comical in an odd or whimsical manner
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
remove the dust from
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
in a gradual manner
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Probably he was put to death.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
meeting-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
amounting to a large indefinite number
From this reading Bats are very numerous in these parts.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
over-clean
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
the local environment
From this reading Bats are very numerous in these parts.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
with considerable certainty; without much doubt
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Probably he was put to death.
scatteringnounUS /ˈskætərɪŋ/
a small number (of something) dispersed haphazardly
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
sleevenounUS /sliːv/
the part of a garment that is attached at the armhole and that provides a cloth covering for the arm
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
a person, without saying who
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
spectatorsnounUS /ˈspekteɪtərz/
plural of “spectator” — a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind)
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
stareverbUS /ster/
look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
the rays of the sun
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A bat being startled, probably, out of the meeting-house, by the commotion around, flew blindly about in the sunshine, and alighted on a man's sleeve.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Bats are very numerous in these parts.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The man stared at him, and let the spectators stare for a minute, and then shook him gently off; and the poor devil took a flight across the green to the meeting-house, and then, I believe, alighted on somebody else.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
vampirenounUS /ˈvæmpaɪr/
(folklore) a corpse that rises at night to drink the blood of the living
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
precisely as stated
From this reading Bats are very numerous in these parts.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Probably he was put to death.
wingedadjectiveUS /wɪŋd/
having wings or as if having wings of a specified kind
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading I looked at him,--a droll, winged, beast-insect, creeping up the man's arm, not over-clean, and scattering dust on the man's coat from his vampire wings.
