used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
plural of “beast” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
buntingnounUS /ˈbʌntɪŋ/
a loosely woven fabric used for flags, etc.
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
CHAOSnounUS /ˈkeɪɑːs/
a state of extreme confusion and disorder
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
disorder resulting from a failure to behave predictably
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
democraticadjectiveUS /ˌdeməˈkrætɪk/
characterized by or advocating or based upon the principles of democracy or social equality
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
dog'snounUS /dɔːɡz/
possessive form of “dog” — 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 CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
encounteredverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntərd/
past form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
enmeshedadjectiveUS /enˈmeʃt/
caught as if in a mesh
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
entanglementnounUS /enˈtæŋɡəlmənt/
an intricate trap that entangles or ensnares its victim
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
festivitiesnounUS /feˈstɪvətiz/
plural of “festivity” — any joyous diversion
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
flauntingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
set up or found
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
cause to move by striking
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/
without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
staying power
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
not any; not one
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
oxennounUS /ˈɑːksən/
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
oxen's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
a person who requires medical care
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
quickestadverbUS /ˈkwɪkɪst/
most quickly
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
with speed
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
recentadjectiveUS /ˈriːsənt/
new
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
routenounUS /ruːt/
an established line of travel or access
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
only a very short time before
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
shortestadjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtɪst/
superlative of “short” — primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
Snailsdale
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
snappedverbUS /snæpt/
inflected form of “snap” — utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
successive (without a break)
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
streamersnounUS /ˈstriːmərz/
plural of “streamer” — light that streams
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
surprisingadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋ/
causing surprise or wonder or amazement
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
swishing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
tailsnounUS /teɪlz/
formalwear consisting of full evening dress for men
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He snapped quickly for this and immediately found himself enmeshed in a hopeless entanglement.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
unawareadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈwer/
(often followed by “of”) not aware
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading He knew nothing of the recent festivities at Snailsdale and was quite unaware of the bunting streamers which waved so flauntingly from the swishing tails of the oxen.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Something, he knew not what, hit him upon his democratic little nose.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
at the time that
From this reading He was scarcely beneath the patient beasts when he encountered an altogether surprising set back.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading CHAOS AND CONFUSION Whatever the dog’s business he evidently had no time to lose and he chose the quickest and shortest route, which was straight under the oxen’s legs.
