used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
for the reason that
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
blackbirdsnounUS /ˈblækbərdz/
plural of “blackbird” — any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
cropsnounUS /krɑːps/
plural of “crop” — the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
crowsnounUS /kroʊz/
plural of “crow” — black birds having a raucous call
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
the act of consuming food
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
divisible by two
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
a social unit living together
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
a person who operates a farm
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
not accessible to view
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
MEDICINEnounUS /ˈmedəsən/
the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
neighborsnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/
plural of “neighbor” — a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
nibbledverbUS /ˈnɪbəld/
past form of “nibble” — bite off very small pieces
From this reading He set traps for the rabbits and the woodchucks because they nibbled his vegetables.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
rabbitsnounUS /ˈræbəts/
plural of “rabbit” — any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food
From this reading He set traps for the rabbits and the woodchucks because they nibbled his vegetables.
securelyadverbUS /sɪˈkjʊrli/
in a secure manner; in a manner free from danger
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He set traps for the rabbits and the woodchucks because they nibbled his vegetables.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
skunksnounUS /skʌŋks/
plural of “skunk” — a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
Slown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some people might have been happy about it, but not he.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
imagine to be the case or true or probable
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
status with respect to the relations between people or groups
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading STRONG MEDICINE And so it happened that Farmer Ben Slown had a family of skunks as neighbors.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
in or at that place or location
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He shot the crows and blackbirds because he thought they spent most of their time eating his crops.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
trapsnounUS /træps/
plural of “trap” — a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading He set traps for the rabbits and the woodchucks because they nibbled his vegetables.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
vegetablesnounUS /ˈvedʒtəbəlz/
plural of “vegetable” — edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant
From this reading He set traps for the rabbits and the woodchucks because they nibbled his vegetables.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
(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 It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
woodchucksnounUS /ˈwʊdtʃʌks/
plural of “woodchuck” — reddish brown North American marmot
From this reading He set traps for the rabbits and the woodchucks because they nibbled his vegetables.
woodsfolk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was well for the family that they were hidden under the wood pile so securely that he did not even suspect they were there; for Farmer Slown had never learned to live on friendly terms with the little woodsfolk.
