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Chapter I
Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end. But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do? Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine! Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button. When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.”
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?”
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading “Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!”
a thing, without saying which
From this reading “When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.”
given too much comfort or indulgence
From this reading “But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?”
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.”
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.”
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
given too much comfort or indulgence
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Only, as it turned out, this particular picnic wasn't quite regular routine!
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt was tired of taking his family out to the asteroids for a picnic every week-end.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
at the time that
From this reading When he wanted something, Johnny's voice took on that wailing quality.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
in the company of; together with
From this reading But with a wife and two spoiled brats to goad him into the regular routine, what could a man do?
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Burt reached out for the stud that would fire the fore-rockets, but a small white hand already rested on the button.
