AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading At ten he had taken another toddy to put himself to sleep.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At ten he had taken another toddy to put himself to sleep.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
CASKETnounUS /ˈkæskət/
box in which a corpse is buried or cremated
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
a foundation created to promote the public good (not for assistance to any particular individuals)
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
a timepiece that shows the time of day
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
cocktailnounUS /ˈkɑːkteɪl/
a short mixed drink
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
disgustverbUS /dɪsˈɡʌst/
fill with distaste
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
drunkennessnounUS /ˈdrʌŋkənnəs/
a temporary state resulting from excessive consumption of alcohol
From this reading There is only one excuse for drunkenness, and that is sleeplessness.
being one more than ten
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
divisible by two
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
accept an excuse for
From this reading There is only one excuse for drunkenness, and that is sleeplessness.
feather-bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
feathersnounUS /ˈfeðərz/
plural of “feather” — the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There is only one excuse for drunkenness, and that is sleeplessness.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
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 old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
Mammynoun
an offensive term for a Black nursemaid in the southern U.S.
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
not any; not one
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There is only one excuse for drunkenness, and that is sleeplessness.
and nothing more
From this reading There is only one excuse for drunkenness, and that is sleeplessness.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
pillowsnounUS /ˈpɪloʊz/
plural of “pillow” — a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading At ten he had taken another toddy to put himself to sleep.
To recall to mind.
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
sleeplessnessnoun
a temporary state in which you are unable (or unwilling) to sleep
From this reading There is only one excuse for drunkenness, and that is sleeplessness.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading At ten he had taken another toddy to put himself to sleep.
express in words
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
tidied
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
toddynoun
a mixed drink made of liquor and water with sugar and spices and served hot
From this reading At ten he had taken another toddy to put himself to sleep.
Travis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading The old clock in the hall--that had sat there since long before he, himself, could remember--struck ten, and then eleven, and then, to his disgust, even twelve.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
Westmoreland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading THE CASKET AND THE GHOST Richard Travis could not sleep that night--why, he could not tell.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading After he returned from Westmoreland, Mammy Charity brought him his cocktail, and tidied up his room, and beat up the feathers in his pillows and bed--for she believed in the old-fashioned feather-bed and would have no other kind in the house.
