used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
(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 MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
a youthful male person
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
bragverbUS /bræɡ/
show off
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
dearly loved
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
a quad with a square body
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
flingverbUS /flɪŋ/
throw with force or recklessness
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
the act of giving
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
gravernounUS /ˈɡreɪvər/
a tool used by an engraver
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
hasn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
be the source of pain
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
I'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
and nothing more
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
immediately past
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
lickedadjectiveUS /lɪkt/
having been got the better of
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
the force of workers available
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
and nothing more
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
peltingnounUS /ˈpeltɪŋ/
anything happening rapidly or in quick successive
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
participate in games or sport
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
PopenounUS /poʊp/
the head of the Roman Catholic Church
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
pranksnounUS /præŋks/
plural of “prank” — acting like a clown or buffoon
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
recollectverbUS /ˌrekəˈlekt/
recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
To recall to mind.
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
precisely, exactly
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
swearingnounUS /ˈswerɪŋ/
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
tricksnounUS /trɪks/
plural of “trick” — a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading And then, how afterwards I used to brag that if grandmother hadn’t taken me away, I’d have licked twenty boys; one down, another come on!
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading And then, when I used to get into a terrible fight, you remember how you used to come in at the last minute, and carry me off home just as I was nearly giving in?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
We're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
(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 Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
at the time that
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
in the company of; together with
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading Well, well; the more I see of life, the more I’m sure men only play over their boys’ tricks; only they do it with graver faces and worse words.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
but in spite of that
From this reading MY DEAR GRANDMOTHER,--We’re all safe for a time; the Pope hasn’t quite got hold of us yet.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You recollect when I was a boy, how I would fling stones, and call names, and go among other boys pelting ’em right and left, and swearing I didn’t mean to hurt ’em, but played off my pranks only for their good?
