used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
bellwethernounUS /ˈbelweðər/
someone who assumes leadership of a movement or activity
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
flocknounUS /flɑːk/
a church congregation guided by a pastor
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
foremostadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrmoʊst/
ranking above all others
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
herdsmannoun
someone who drives a herd
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
plural of “idea” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
inexperiencedadjectiveUS /ɪnɪkˈspɪriənst/
lacking practical experience or training
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
engage in
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
maneuversnounUS /məˈnuːvərz/
plural of “maneuver” — a military training exercise
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
not any; not one
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In the first place Spot was not old, and in the second he was obviously not a wether.
observernounUS /əbˈzɜːrvər/
a person who becomes aware (of things or events) through the senses
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
obviouslyadverbUS /ˈɑːbviəsli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading In the first place Spot was not old, and in the second he was obviously not a wether.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
reconstructverbUS /ˌriːkənˈstrʌkt/
reassemble mentally
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading In the first place Spot was not old, and in the second he was obviously not a wether.
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In the first place Spot was not old, and in the second he was obviously not a wether.
Spot's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading No observer could make any mistake about Spot’s position in the flock.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
precisely as stated
From this reading But in a very few moments he had to reconstruct some of his ideas.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
wethernoun
male sheep especially a castrated one
From this reading In the first place Spot was not old, and in the second he was obviously not a wether.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Through all the maneuvers of the great band he kept the foremost place; and the other sheep followed him without question.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The young and inexperienced herdsman thought at first that he was the old “bellwether” of the flock.
