used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “That’s a boy’s name.”
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading “That’s a boy’s name.”
brother'snounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/
possessive form of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
plural of “call” — a telephone connection
From this reading “Everybody calls me Tom,—sometimes Tattered Tom.”
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
doubtfullyadverb
in a doubtful manner
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
every person
From this reading “Everybody calls me Tom,—sometimes Tattered Tom.”
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
a young female
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
jacketnounUS /ˈdʒækət/
a short coat
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Everybody calls me Tom,—sometimes Tattered Tom.”
MertonnounUS /ˈmɜːrtən/
United States religious and writer (1915-1968)
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
protegée
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
raggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/
being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
skirtnounUS /skɜːrt/
cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading “Everybody calls me Tom,—sometimes Tattered Tom.”
sorryadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːri/
feeling or expressing regret or sorrow or a sense of loss over something done or undone
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
surveyingnounUS /sərˈveɪɪŋ/
the practice of measuring angles and distances on the ground so that they can be accurately plotted on a map
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
TatteredadjectiveUS /ˈtætərd/
worn to shreds; or wearing torn or ragged clothing
From this reading “Everybody calls me Tom,—sometimes Tattered Tom.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “That’s a boy’s name.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
There's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
male cat
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
undertakenverbUS /ˈʌndərteɪkən/
inflected form of “undertake” — enter upon an activity or enterprise
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
well-ventilated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “There’s some reason about the first name,” thought Mrs. Merton, as her glance rested on the ragged skirt and well-ventilated jacket of her brother’s protegée.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Now, what is your name, little girl?” asked Mrs. Merton, surveying Tom doubtfully, half sorry that she had undertaken the care of her.
