used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
(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 "Well, now, what's all this?" he began.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
applenounUS /ˈæpəl/
fruit with red or yellow or green skin and sweet to tart crisp whitish flesh
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "What you youngsters been doin' up the river, eh?"
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "Well, now, what's all this?" he began.
maintain with or as if with a bet
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
chuggedverbUS /tʃʌɡd/
inflected form of “chug” — make a dull, explosive sound
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
diplomaticallyadverbUS /ˌdɪpləˈmætɪkli/
with diplomacy; in a diplomatic manner
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
doin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What you youngsters been doin' up the river, eh?"
dorynounUS /ˈdɔːri/
a small boat of shallow draft with cross thwarts for seats and rowlocks for oars with which it is propelled
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
driftingnounUS /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/
aimless wandering from place to place
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
eh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What you youngsters been doin' up the river, eh?"
all things; all of a situation
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
arousing or provoking laughter
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
graspedverbUS /ɡræspt/
past form of “grasp” — hold firmly
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
greenswardnoun
surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Well, now, what's all this?" he began.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
it's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
leakiest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/
machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Well, now, what's all this?" he began.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
Pee-wee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
express in words
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
shabbiest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Well, now, what's all this?" he began.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
TrimmernounUS /ˈtrɪmər/
a worker who thins out and trims trees and shrubs
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
tuftnounUS /tʌft/
a bunch of hair or feathers or growing grass
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "GO" Old Trimmer chugged up to the edge of the island in the shabbiest, leakiest little motor dory on the river, and grasped a little tuft of greensward to keep his boat from drifting.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
(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, now, what's all this?" he began.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What you youngsters been doin' up the river, eh?"
what's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, now, what's all this?" he began.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "What you youngsters been doin' up the river, eh?"
you'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I bet you'll say it's funny how it used to be your apple tree and everything.
youngstersnounUS /ˈjʌŋstərz/
plural of “youngster” — a young person of either sex
From this reading "What you youngsters been doin' up the river, eh?"
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "This used to be your land before it was an island," said Pee-wee diplomatically.
