used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A MORNING ADVENTURE.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
consider or hold as true
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
From this reading A MORNING ADVENTURE.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
blackeradjectiveUS /ˈblækər/
comparative of “black” — being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
bombardingverbUS /bɑːmˈbɑːrdɪŋ/
-ing form of “bombard” — cast, hurl, or throw repeatedly with some missile
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
marked by lack of attention or consideration or forethought or thoroughness; not careful
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
cashnounUS /kæʃ/
money in the form of bills or coins
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
commencedverbUS /kəˈmenst/
past form of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
confess to a punishable or reprehensible deed, usually under pressure
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
ContemplatingverbUS /ˈkɑːntəmpleɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “contemplate” — look at thoughtfully; observe deep in thought
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
the appearance conveyed by a person's face
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
crookedadjectiveUS /ˈkrʊkəd/
having or marked by bends or angles; not straight or aligned
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
endingnounUS /ˈendɪŋ/
the end of a word (a suffix or inflectional ending or final morpheme)
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
accept an excuse for
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
fizzyadjective
hissing and bubbling
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
gonging
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
grinningnounUS /ˈɡrɪnɪŋ/
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
incomprehensibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪŋkɑːmprəˈhensɪbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
jinglingadjective
having a series of high-pitched ringing sounds like many small bells
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
knockingnounUS /ˈnɑːkɪŋ/
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
mistookverbUS /mɪˈstʊk/
inflected form of “mistake” — identify incorrectly
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading A MORNING ADVENTURE.
morselnounUS /ˈmɔːrsəl/
a small quantity of anything
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
negronounUS /ˈniːɡroʊ/
a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
protruded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
purportverbUS /ˈpɜːrpɔːrt/
have the often specious appearance of being, intending, or claiming
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/
the sound of a bell ringing
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
rumblingnounUS /ˈrʌmbəlɪŋ/
a loud low dull continuous noise
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
RussiansnounUS /ˈrʌʃənz/
plural of “russian” — a native or inhabitant of Russia
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
successive (without a break)
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
the act of taking revenge (harming someone in retaliation for something harmful that they have done) especially in the next life
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
waked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
at the time that
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
a Caucasian
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "As Uncle Sam is equally careless of his language and cash, he will excuse a crooked beginning and accept a straight ending.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading I was about looking out of the window to see if the White House was all safe, when a negro with a countenance blacker than vengeance protruded his fizzy head into the door, and without a morsel of knocking commenced grinning.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The fact was, I was waked up with such an incomprehensible jingling, ringing, rumbling, and gonging, that I mistook its purport, and thought the Russians were bombarding the house.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Contemplating my crooked dream I confess I waked up without a straight idea in my head.
