Chapter XIV · A Big Splash

(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 The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

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

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

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

From this reading With all that, Sam did not intend to be mean.

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

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

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

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

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

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

-ing form of “correct” — make right or correct

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

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

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

opinion or judgment

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

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

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

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

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

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

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

where you live at a particular time

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

used to add a contrasting statement

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

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

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

have in mind as a purpose

From this reading With all that, Sam did not intend to be mean.

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

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

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

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

past form of “matter” — have weight; have import, carry weight

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading With all that, Sam did not intend to be mean.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

not one thing; not anything

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

a separate part of a whole

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

the act of playing a musical instrument

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

written matter that is recited from memory

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

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

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

the utterance of intelligible speech

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

make a mess of, destroy or ruin

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

a person whose occupation is teaching

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

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

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

a more or less definite period of time now or previously present

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

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

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

Scottish chemist noted for his research into the structure of nucleic acids (born in 1907)

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

a cunning or deceitful action or device

From this reading All this mattered nothing to Sam, however, if he could spoil Bert’s recitation by playing the trick.

hard to endure

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

up to a particular time

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

precisely as stated

From this reading Bert had practiced his recitation many times at home, his mother helping and correcting him, until he could do it very well.

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

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

(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 Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

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

From this reading The eyes of all in the room were fixed on Bert—that is, the eyes of all but Sam and his chum Joe.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Bert Bobbsey was speaking his piece so well that his teacher and the other boys and girls did not see what Sam Todd was trying to do.

in the company of; together with

From this reading With all that, Sam did not intend to be mean.