used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
completely unclothed
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
bonenounUS /boʊn/
rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
breaksnounUS /breɪks/
plural of “break” — some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
plural of “call” — a telephone connection
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
ClevelandnounUS /ˈkliːvlənd/
the largest city in Ohio; located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie; a major Great Lakes port
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
come or bring to a finish or an end
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
dearly loved
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
drinksnounUS /drɪŋks/
plural of “drink” — a single serving of a beverage
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
divisible by two
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
fednounUS /fed/
any federal law-enforcement officer
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
destroyed or killed
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
harmlessadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrmləs/
not causing or capable of causing harm
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
he's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
ichthyologistnoun
a zoologist who studies fishes
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
jokernounUS /ˈdʒoʊkər/
a person who enjoys telling or playing jokes
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
and nothing more
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
lazinessnounUS /ˈleɪzinəs/
inactivity resulting from a dislike of work
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
and nothing more
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
a judge of a probate court
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
pertainsverbUS /pərˈteɪnz/
third-person singular of “pertain” — be relevant to
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
replacementnounUS /rɪˈpleɪsmənt/
the act of furnishing an equivalent person or thing in the place of another
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
Sidenote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
spidersnounUS /ˈspaɪdərz/
plural of “spider” — predatory arachnid with eight legs, two poison fangs, two feelers, and usually two silk-spinning organs at the back end of the body; they spin silk to make cocoons for eggs or traps for prey
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
TabbynounUS /ˈtæbi/
a cat with a grey or tawny coat mottled with black
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
talentnounUS /ˈtælənt/
natural abilities or qualities
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
a journey for some purpose (usually including the return)
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading [Sidenote: _Tabby was peculiar, of course, but seemed harmless: just a little green fly that couldn't even protect itself from ordinary spiders.
We've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading We've only been on the island a week, and he's gone native, complete with beard, bare feet and bone laziness.
which person or people
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
in the company of; together with
From this reading There are nine of us in the expedition, and every one of us is fed up with this joker, Cleveland, already.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading So the spiders fed, and grew, and fed, and grew...._] Dear Ben: It breaks my heart you didn't sign on for this trip.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Your replacement, who _calls_ himself an ichthyologist, has only one talent that pertains to fish--he drinks like one.
