used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
on or to one side
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading It was three o’clock, and she had expected Bill momentarily since one.
Billee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
BumbleverbUS /ˈbʌmbəl/
make a mess of, destroy or ruin
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
contradictedverbUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪktəd/
past form of “contradict” — be in contradiction with
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/
plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
davenportnounUS /ˈdævənpɔːrt/
a city in eastern Iowa on the Mississippi River across from Moline and Rock Island
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
made known or openly avowed
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading It was three o’clock, and she had expected Bill momentarily since one.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
hennounUS /hen/
adult female chicken
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
a room where books are kept
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
momentarilyadverbUS /ˌmoʊmənˈterəli/
for an instant or moment
From this reading It was three o’clock, and she had expected Bill momentarily since one.
NannounUS /næn/
your grandmother
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
easily agitated
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was three o’clock, and she had expected Bill momentarily since one.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
PattynounUS /ˈpæti/
small flat mass of chopped food
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading It was three o’clock, and she had expected Bill momentarily since one.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
telegraphedverbUS /ˈteləɡræft/
past form of “telegraph” — send cables, wires, or telegrams
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
telephonedverbUS /ˈteləfoʊnd/
past form of “telephone” — get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading It was three o’clock, and she had expected Bill momentarily since one.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Patty was walking up and down the library, waiting for Little Billee.
window-seat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She flew from one chair to another, she flung herself on the davenport, and back to the window-seat; she pulled aside the curtains and stared down the street, in fact, she flew around, Bumble declared, like a hen with her head off.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading He had written and he had telegraphed and he had telephoned, and every message changed or contradicted the previous one, and Patty was nervous.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Fly, if you like, Patty,” Nan said, kindly; “it may help some.”
