used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
(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 AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading "Well, summer is the time to work, on a farm," Richard answered good-naturedly.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
a room or establishment where alcoholic drinks are served over a counter
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times
From this reading "You have to cultivate the corn when there is corn to cultivate, Sarah."
cultivateverbUS /ˈkʌltəveɪt/
foster the growth of
From this reading "You have to cultivate the corn when there is corn to cultivate, Sarah."
cultivatornoun
someone concerned with the science or art or business of cultivating the soil
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
developedadjectiveUS /dɪˈveləpt/
being changed over time so as to be e.g. stronger or more complete or more useful
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Sarah nodded, her eyes on the horse which stood patiently waiting.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading "Well, summer is the time to work, on a farm," Richard answered good-naturedly.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
enclose with a fence
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
GilbertnounUS /ˈɡɪlbərt/
a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
good-naturedlyadverbUS /ˈɡʊdˈneɪtʃərdli/
in a good-natured manner
From this reading "Well, summer is the time to work, on a farm," Richard answered good-naturedly.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
hookedadjectiveUS /hʊkt/
curved down like an eagle's beak
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Sarah nodded, her eyes on the horse which stood patiently waiting.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Well, summer is the time to work, on a farm," Richard answered good-naturedly.
kinknoun
a painful muscle spasm especially in the neck or back (“rick” and “wrick” are British)
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
immediately following in time or order
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading Sarah nodded, her eyes on the horse which stood patiently waiting.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
patientlyadverbUS /ˈpeɪʃəntli/
with patience; in a patient manner
From this reading Sarah nodded, her eyes on the horse which stood patiently waiting.
placidlyadverbUS /ˈplæsɪdli/
in a quiet and tranquil manner
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
plaintivelyadverbUS /ˈpleɪntaɪvli/
in a plaintive manner
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
precariouslyadverbUS /prɪˈkeriəsli/
in a precarious manner
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
SARAHnounUS /ˈserə/
(Old Testament) the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Sarah nodded, her eyes on the horse which stood patiently waiting.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading "Well, summer is the time to work, on a farm," Richard answered good-naturedly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "You have to cultivate the corn when there is corn to cultivate, Sarah."
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
tinkeringverbUS /ˈtɪŋkərɪŋ/
-ing form of “tinker” — do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
the upper part of anything
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Sarah nodded, her eyes on the horse which stood patiently waiting.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
(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, summer is the time to work, on a farm," Richard answered good-naturedly.
at the time that
From this reading "You have to cultivate the corn when there is corn to cultivate, Sarah."
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Sarah nodded, her eyes on the horse which stood patiently waiting.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She sat on the top of a fence rail and, her feet hooked around the next bar, was placidly, if precariously, watching Richard Gilbert tinkering with a cultivator that had developed a sudden "kink."
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading AN ADVENTURE FOR SARAH "Do you have to work all the time?" asked Sarah plaintively.
