used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
BECKY'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BECKY’S LAST FROLIC.
bruiseverbUS /bruːz/
injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
one of the groups of Christians who have their own beliefs and forms of worship
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
clusterverbUS /ˈklʌstər/
come together as in a cluster or flock
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
confinementnounUS /kənˈfaɪnmənt/
concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
coollyadverbUS /ˈkuːli/
in a composed and unconcerned manner
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
descentnounUS /dɪˈsent/
An action of moving downward, dropping, or falling into a deeper place.
From this reading He was just in time to witness her descent.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
emergingadjectiveUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒɪŋ/
coming to maturity
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
divisible by two
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
exaltedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzɔːltɪd/
of high moral or intellectual value; elevated in nature or style
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
FROLICnounUS /ˈfrɑːlɪk/
gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement
From this reading BECKY’S LAST FROLIC.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
injunctionnounUS /ˌɪnˈdʒʌŋkʃən/
a formal command or admonition
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
and nothing more
From this reading He was just in time to witness her descent.
immediately past
From this reading BECKY’S LAST FROLIC.
leapnounUS /liːp/
a light, self-propelled movement upwards or forwards
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
a particular point in time
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
past form of “obey” — be obedient to
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
phlegmaticadjectiveUS /fleɡˈmætɪk/
showing little emotion
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
select carefully from a group
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
plumagenounUS /ˈpluːmədʒ/
the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
plumpedverbUS /plʌmpt/
past form of “plump” — drop sharply
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
prowessnounUS /ˈpraʊəs/
a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
readinessnounUS /ˈredinəs/
the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
ruffledadjectiveUS /ˈrʌfəld/
shaken into waves or undulations as by wind
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
school-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
scratchverbUS /skrætʃ/
cause friction
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading She plumped into a cluster of bushes, and for a moment was lost to sight.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
sister'snounUS /ˈsɪstərz/
possessive form of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
SleepernounUS /ˈsliːpər/
a rester who is sleeping
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
steeplenounUS /ˈstiːpəl/
a tall tower that forms the superstructure of a building (usually a church or temple) and that tapers to a point at the top
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
TeddynounUS /ˈtedi/
plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
terrificadjectiveUS /tərˈɪfɪk/
very great or intense
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He was just in time to witness her descent.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was just in time to witness her descent.
which person or people
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Teddy Sleeper obeyed Becky’s injunction to wait outside, by passing round school-house, and down the hill, to the window at the end, that he might be in readiness should she desire to signal him during her confinement.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading He was just in time to witness her descent.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Even this terrific leap did not surprise the phlegmatic Teddy, who had such an exalted opinion of his sister’s prowess, that, had she jumped from the steeple of the church, he would have expected her to pick herself up as coolly as she did now, emerging from the bushes with ruffled plumage, but without a scratch or bruise.
