used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
a-whisslin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Keep a-whisslin', Bud!”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
BudnounUS /bʌd/
a partially opened flower
From this reading “Keep a-whisslin', Bud!”
burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/
-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
conspiratorsnounUS /kənˈspɪrətərz/
plural of “conspirator” — a member of a conspiracy
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
Cullum
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Cullum shouted, from the far edge of the prairie.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Mr. Cullum shouted, from the far edge of the prairie.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Mr. Cullum shouted, from the far edge of the prairie.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
firesidenounUS /ˈfaɪərsaɪd/
an area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room)
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
flourishesnounUS /ˈflɜːrɪʃəz/
plural of “flourish” — a showy gesture
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
fordnounUS /fɔːrd/
United States film maker (1896-1973)
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Mr. Cullum shouted, from the far edge of the prairie.
hearth-stone
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
imaginaryadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈmædʒəneri/
not based on fact; existing only in the imagination
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading “Keep a-whisslin', Bud!”
the sound of laughing
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Cullum shouted, from the far edge of the prairie.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
noddingadjectiveUS /ˈnɑːdɪŋ/
having branches or flower heads that bend downward
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
noisyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔɪzi/
full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading Mr. Cullum shouted, from the far edge of the prairie.
pretencenoun
a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
prolongedadjectiveUS /prəˈlɔːŋd/
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
responsenounUS /rɪˈspɑːns/
a result
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
restrainedadjectiveUS /riˈstreɪnd/
cool and formal in manner
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
shinn-oak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading Mr. Cullum shouted, from the far edge of the prairie.
snipeverbUS /snaɪp/
hunt or shoot snipe
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
thicketsnounUS /ˈθɪkəts/
plural of “thicket” — a dense growth of bushes
From this reading The crowd scattered, and for a few moments made a noisy pretence of beating the shinn-oak thickets for imaginary snipe.
trills
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
at the time that
From this reading Mrs. Cullum was nodding over the hearth-stone when her husband came in.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A prolonged whistle, with trills and flourishes, was the response; and the conspirators, bursting with restrained laughter, plunged into the ford and separated, making each for his own fireside.
