used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
having companions or an escort
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
(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 Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
beardedadjectiveUS /ˈbɪrdəd/
having hair on the cheeks and chin
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
busilyadverbUS /ˈbɪzəli/
in a busy manner
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
chumsnounUS /tʃʌmz/
plural of “chum” — a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
confrontedverbUS /kənˈfrʌntəd/
past form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
decidedlyadverbUS /ˌdɪˈsaɪdədli/
without question and beyond doubt
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
DER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
disconcertingadjectiveUS /ˌdɪskənˈsɜːrtɪŋ/
causing an emotional disturbance
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
embarrassingadjectiveUS /ɪmˈberəsɪŋ/
hard to deal with; especially causing pain or embarrassment
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
regard something as probable or likely
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
exuberantadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzuːbərənt/
joyously unrestrained
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
set up or found
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
grey-hairedadjective
showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
staying power
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
by chance
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
Piet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
cut with a saw
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
seventyadjectiveUS /ˈsevənti/
being ten more than sixty
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
sixtyadjectiveUS /ˈsɪksti/
being ten more than fifty
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
in or at or to some place
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
sparely-built
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
stablesnounUS /ˈsteɪbəlz/
plural of “stable” — a farm building for housing horses or other livestock
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
treknounUS /trek/
a journey by ox wagon (especially an organized migration by a group of settlers)
From this reading Perhaps, after all, Van der Wyck was somewhere in the stables, and this old man was one of his friends who had accompanied him on his long trek.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading To expect to find a friend and be confronted by an utter stranger was decidedly disconcerting.
any creative group active in the innovation and application of new concepts and techniques in a given field (especially in the arts)
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
white-bearded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
which person or people
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
wipingverbUS /ˈwaɪpɪŋ/
-ing form of “wipe” — rub with a circular motion
From this reading Instead of the tall, bearded Piet Van der Wyck, they saw a sparely-built, grey-haired and white-bearded man of between sixty and seventy, who was busily engaged in wiping down the legs of a black horse.
wishingnounUS /ˈwɪʃɪŋ/
a specific feeling of desire
From this reading The chums found themselves wishing that they had not been so exuberant.
WYCK
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE OTHER VAN DER WYCK IT was an embarrassing situation.
