Chapter I

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

(of mail) marked with a destination

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

anew

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

state capital and largest city of Massachusetts; a major center for banking and financial services

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

the people of Great Britain

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

clear to the mind; with distinct mental discernment

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

United States dancer and pioneer of modern dance (1878-1927)

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

a movable barrier in a fence or wall

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

a soldier of the American Revolution who was hanged as a spy by the British; his last words were supposed to have been `I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country' (1755-1776)

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

ten 10s

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

a lack of patience; irritation with anything that causes delay

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

moving to the inside of something

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

in the recent past

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

town in eastern Massachusetts near Boston where the first battle of the American Revolution was fought

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

something that is lost

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

a woman of refinement

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

the force of workers available

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

information about recent and important events

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

characteristic of former times especially in Europe

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading But I had caught a look of keen anxiety on his face as he addressed my mother.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

the particular portion of space occupied by something

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

express in words

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

presiding officer of a school

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

being three more than seventy

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

having a supporting base

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

taking in or moving over (or as if over) a wide area; often used in combination

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

the profession of a teacher

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

in the direction of

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

not covered with clothing

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

precisely as stated

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

at the time that

From this reading When he was half-way from the gate to the house, my mother met him.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

which person or people

From this reading It was Duncan Hale, the schoolmaster, who first brought us the news.

in the company of; together with

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'

not having, not using, or not accompanied by

From this reading The schoolmaster bowed again, one of those fine, sweeping, old-world bows which he had lately been teaching me with some impatience, I thought; then without further speech he moved toward the little gate.

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading He bowed very low to her, and then, standing with his head uncovered--from my position in the hall--I heard him distinctly say, 'Your husband, madam, has been killed, and the British who went out to Lexington under Lord Percy have been forced to retreat into Boston, with a loss of two hundred and seventy-three officers and men.'