used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
Ballard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
a youthful male person
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
third-person singular of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But what’s down there?”
cartedverbUS /ˈkɑːrtɪd/
past form of “cart” — draw slowly or heavily
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
ChicagonounUS /ʃəˈkɑːɡoʊ/
largest city in Illinois; a bustling Great Lakes port that extends 26 miles along the southwestern shoreline of Lake Michigan
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
a collection of things sharing a common attribute
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
ConounUS /koʊ/
an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
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 Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
cousin'snounUS /ˈkʌzənz/
possessive form of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
CumberlandnounUS /ˈkʌmbərlənd/
English general; son of George II; fought unsuccessfully in the battle of Fontenoy (1721-1765)
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
discoveringverbUS /dɪˈskʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “discover” — discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
doubtingadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊtɪŋ/
marked by or given to doubt
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
make void or empty of contents
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
at any time
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
fashionedadjectiveUS /ˈfæʃənd/
planned and made or fashioned artistically
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
set up or found
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
grindverbUS /ɡraɪnd/
press or grind with a crushing noise
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
grindingnounUS /ˈɡraɪndɪŋ/
material resulting from the process of grinding
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
IllinoisnounUS /ˌɪləˈnɔɪ/
a midwestern state in north-central United States
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
jug-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
KentuckynounUS /kənˈtʌki/
a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
massiveadjectiveUS /ˈmæsɪv/
imposing in size or bulk or solidity
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
millverbUS /mɪl/
move about in a confused manner
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
red-headed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
Reilly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
precisely, exactly
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
Identical; not different.
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
express in words
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
having a supporting base
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
required or under orders
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
in or at that place or location
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
ThompsonnounUS /ˈtɑːmpsən/
United States classical archaeologist (born in Canada) noted for leading the excavation of the Athenian agora (1906-2000)
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
travelledadjectiveUS /ˈtrævəld/
familiar with many parts of the world
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If the truth were told, he found himself doubting the other boy’s story.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
what's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But what’s down there?”
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
in or at the place that
From this reading Here he was standing in the grinding room of an old fashioned mill watching massive stone wheels grind the corn he had carted from his cousin’s store and at the same time discovering what promised to be a first class mystery right down here in the slow old Cumberland mountains where, he had supposed, nothing unusual ever happened.
which person or people
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Johnny Thompson, the boy from Illinois who had travelled far and seen many strange things, stared at Ballard Ball, the red-headed boy of the Cumberland Mountains of Kentucky, with surprise.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The Reilly & Lee Co. Chicago “You mean to say he takes those big, jug-like things down there empty and brings them up full?”
