Chapter IX · Chapter 9

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

the state of being absent

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

later than; following

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

(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 They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

prior to a specified or implied time

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

take something or somebody with oneself somewhere

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

a United States dry measure equal to 4 pecks or 2152.42 cubic inches

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

having been prepared for eating by the application of heat

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

not as far along as normal in development

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

marked by low spirits; showing no enthusiasm

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

-ing form of “do” — engage in

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

plural of “drag” — the phenomenon of resistance to motion through a fluid

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

take in solid food

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

immediately past

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

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 The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

staying power

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

United States tennis player who dominated women's tennis in the 1920s and 1930s (1905-1998)

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

not any; not one

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

plural of “potato” — an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

a stock or supply of foods

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

the condition of belonging to a particular place or group by virtue of social or ethnic or cultural lineage

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

possessive form of “sam” — a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

be seated

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

not in physical motion

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

act of expanding by lengthening or widening

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

male cat

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent

From this reading The result was that their legs got no stretching, and they became moody, dispirited and unhappy before the second day of Sam's absence had come to an end.

the act of using

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

precisely as stated

From this reading The days seemed very long to Tom and Joe and little Judie after Sam left on his journey.

the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)

From this reading WEARY WAITING.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

From this reading WEARY WAITING.

any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.

at the time that

From this reading They had nothing to do but to sit still in their corners among the roots all day, and time always drags very slowly when people are doing nothing.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Their provisions, as we know, were already cooked,--enough of them at least, to last a week, and before Sam left he had made them bring more than a bushel of sweet potatoes and all the corn they could find which was still soft enough to eat, and store it away for use if his return should be delayed in any way.