used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Is he our real uncle?" asked Violet.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading He is my brother.
BunkersnounUS /ˈbʌŋkərz/
plural of “bunker” — a hazard on a golf course
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
ironing-board
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Is he our real uncle?" asked Violet.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
mix-upnounUS /ˈmɪksʌp/
a mistake that results from taking one thing to be another
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He is my brother.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading "Is he our real uncle?" asked Violet.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "Yes, he is your very own uncle.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading "Is he our real uncle?" asked Violet.
scooternounUS /ˈskuːtər/
a motorboat resembling a motor scooter
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
sidewaysadverbUS /ˈsaɪdweɪz/
with one side forward or to the front
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading "Is he our real uncle?" asked Violet.
untangledadjective
not tangled
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
precisely as stated
From this reading "Yes, he is your very own uncle.
VioletnounUS /ˈvaɪəlɪt/
any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading "Is he our real uncle?" asked Violet.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He did not seem quite so strange now, and he certainly smiled in a way the children liked.
at the time that
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
which person or people
From this reading A QUEER STORY The six little Bunkers, who had been untangled from the mix-up caused when the scooter ran sideways off the ironing-board hill, stood in a half circle and looked at the strange man.
an affirmative
From this reading "Yes, he is your very own uncle.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Yes, he is your very own uncle.
