used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
(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 Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
appearingnounUS /əˈpɪrɪŋ/
formal attendance (in court or at a hearing) of a party in an action
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
appetitenounUS /ˈæpətaɪt/
a feeling of craving something
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
Bowser
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
chainedadjectiveUS /tʃeɪnd/
bound with chains
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
chaseverbUS /tʃeɪs/
go after with the intent to catch
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/
the first light of day
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
accept an excuse for
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
set up or found
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
HoundnounUS /haʊnd/
any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading But he knew that Bowser _was_ chained.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
and nothing more
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
Porky's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
PricklyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪkli/
very irritable
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
Reddy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
hard to endure
From this reading Instead of hunting, he spent most of the night in trying to think of some good reason for not appearing at Prickly Porky's hill at daybreak.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
precisely as stated
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But he knew that Bowser _was_ chained.
wasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If only Bowser the Hound wasn't chained up at night, I would get him to chase me, and then I would have the very best kind of an excuse," thought he.
(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 Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
at the time that
From this reading Reddy didn't sleep at all well that afternoon, and when at dusk he started to hunt for his supper, he found that he had lost his appetite.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But think as he would, he couldn't think of a single excuse that would sound reasonable.
