used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
appetitenounUS /ˈæpətaɪt/
a feeling of craving something
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
cookingnounUS /ˈkʊkɪŋ/
the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
harvestnounUS /ˈhɑːrvəst/
the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
holdupnounUS /ˈhoʊldʌp/
robbery at gunpoint
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
hummingnounUS /ˈhʌmɪŋ/
a humming noise
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
luncheonnounUS /ˈlʌntʃən/
a midday meal
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
engage in
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
not caught with the senses or the mind
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
Orman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
PIGEONnounUS /ˈpɪdʒən/
wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
PLUCKINGverbUS /ˈplʌkɪŋ/
-ing form of “pluck” — pull or pull out sharply
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
promptlyadverbUS /ˈprɑːmptli/
with little or no delay
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
SeymournounUS /ˈsiːmɔːr/
Queen of England as the third wife of Henry VIII and mother of Edward VI (1509-1537)
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
Shorty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
Steve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
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 Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PLUCKING A PIGEON Steve slept almost around the clock.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Orman and Shorty had reached town some time about daylight and had spread the story of the holdup, so that the dining-room was humming with excitement.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading During the two days' drive he had missed the good home cooking of Mrs. Seymour and he intended to make up for it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
(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 A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A dozen questions were flung at Steve before he had well taken his seat.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He lost breakfast, but was there promptly for luncheon with the appetite of a harvest hand.
