used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
ailsnounUS /eɪlz/
plural of “ail” — aromatic bulb used as seasoning
From this reading “And what ails you, simpleton?” a soldier asked.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “And what ails you, simpleton?” a soldier asked.
bamboonounUS /bæmˈbuː/
the hard woody stems of bamboo plants; used in construction and crafts and fishing poles
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
cordnounUS /kɔːrd/
a line made of twisted fibers or threads
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
fishingnounUS /ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
gallopedverbUS /ˈɡæləpt/
past form of “gallop” — ride at a galloping pace
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
HannounUS /hɑːn/
imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy; remembered as one of the great eras of Chinese civilization
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Have you lost your nurse?”
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading “Have you lost your nurse?”
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading “Have you lost your nurse?”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
puddleverbUS /ˈpʌdəl/
wade or dabble in a puddle
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
simpletonnoun
a person lacking intelligence or common sense
From this reading “And what ails you, simpleton?” a soldier asked.
sobsnounUS /sɑːbz/
plural of “sob” — a dyspneic condition
From this reading Between sobs Han answered, “I am hungry and I can’t catch any fish.”
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading “And what ails you, simpleton?” a soldier asked.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
staffnounUS /stæf/
personnel who assist their superior in carrying out an assigned task
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
very small
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
tyingnounUS /ˈtaɪɪŋ/
the act of tying or binding things together
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Hastily tying a cord to his bamboo staff, he threw the staff into a tiny, shallow puddle of water that lay beside the road.
showing sorrow
From this reading The soldiers galloped up to find him seated on the bank—fishing—and weeping.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “And what ails you, simpleton?” a soldier asked.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “And what ails you, simpleton?” a soldier asked.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Have you lost your nurse?”
