used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
balancingnounUS /ˈbælənsɪŋ/
getting two things to correspond
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Can’t say there seems to be much the matter.”
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
biteverbUS /baɪt/
to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
butteredverbUS /ˈbʌtərd/
past form of “butter” — spread butter on
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
Can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Can’t say there seems to be much the matter.”
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
the act of consuming food
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
humped-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
impedeverbUS /ˌɪmˈpiːd/
be a hindrance or obstacle to
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
staying power
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
occurring by chance
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
engage in
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Can’t say there seems to be much the matter.”
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Can’t say there seems to be much the matter.”
mumbledverbUS /ˈmʌmbəld/
past form of “mumble” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
proppedverbUS /prɑːpt/
inflected form of “prop” — support by placing against something solid or rigid
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
express in words
From this reading Can’t say there seems to be much the matter.”
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Can’t say there seems to be much the matter.”
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
shrimpnounUS /ʃrɪmp/
disparaging terms for small people
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
TeddynounUS /ˈtedi/
plaything consisting of a child's toy bear (usually plush and stuffed with soft materials)
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Can’t say there seems to be much the matter.”
in or at that place or location
From this reading Can’t say there seems to be much the matter.”
(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
toastverbUS /toʊst/
make brown and crisp by heating
From this reading A large bite of hot buttered toast threatened to impede conversation.
traynounUS /treɪ/
an open receptacle for holding or displaying or serving articles or food
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
tumbleverbUS /ˈtʌmbəl/
fall down, as if collapsing
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
ud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading “It’s the brown stuff,” Teddy mumbled; “she wanted to see if it ’ud make me wet.”
at the time that
From this reading When his father entered Teddy was eating his breakfast propped up in bed, balancing a tray on his humped-up legs.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Well, shrimp, you seem to have had a lucky tumble.
