used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
the quality of having a superior or more favorable position
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading BOB GETS HIS REWARD.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading NEARER came the rustling.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
coarseadjectiveUS /kɔːrs/
of textures that are rough to the touch or substances consisting of relatively large particles
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
combverbUS /koʊm/
straighten with a comb
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
daintyadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪnti/
delicately beautiful
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
exteriornounUS /ɪkˈstɪriər/
the region that is outside of something
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
forbiddingadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪdɪŋ/
harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent
From this reading BOB GETS HIS REWARD.
a young female
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
harshadjectiveUS /hɑːrʃ/
unpleasantly stern
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading BOB GETS HIS REWARD.
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 Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
in motion
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading NEARER came the rustling.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
Polly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
by chance
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
in the near future
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
on the contrary
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
reassuredadjectiveUS /ˌriːəˈʃʊrd/
having confidence restored; freed from anxiety
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
a recompense for worthy acts or retribution for wrongdoing
From this reading BOB GETS HIS REWARD.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading NEARER came the rustling.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
not often
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
Thad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading NEARER came the rustling.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
transformingverbUS /trænˈsfɔːrmɪŋ/
-ing form of “transform” — subject to a mathematical transformation
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Polly was far from dainty looking; she had coarse black hair that possibly seldom knew a comb; and her voice was rather harsh; but nevertheless Thad believed she had a heart under this forbidding exterior, and that the spirit of gratitude was transforming her, greatly to their advantage.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Presently a moving figure crept close up to the waiting boys; which they knew must be the queer mountain girl.
but in spite of that
From this reading They could not yet see Polly, on account of the darkness, but the sound of her voice had reassured them.
