used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They started about ten days ago.
accentuateverbUS /ækˈsentʃuːeɪt/
to stress, single out as important
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
plural of “age” — how long something has existed
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
in the past
From this reading They started about ten days ago.
answeringadjectiveUS /ˈænsərɪŋ/
replying
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “When do you think they will be home?”
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
Bess
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
dark-skinnedadjective
naturally having skin of a dark color
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
DAVE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
DAVISnounUS /ˈdeɪvəs/
English navigator who explored the Arctic while searching for the Northwest Passage (1550-1605)
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading They started about ten days ago.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “When do you think they will be home?”
FIRSTadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
FoldingnounUS /ˈfoʊldɪŋ/
the process whereby a protein molecule assumes its intricate three-dimensional shape
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading “When do you think they will be home?”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
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 FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Um, well, let me see!
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Um, well, let me see!
a particular point in time
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
past form of “remark” — make mention of
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
round-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “Um, well, let me see!
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
sewingnounUS /ˈsoʊɪŋ/
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading They started about ten days ago.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading They started about ten days ago.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading “When do you think they will be home?”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
Um
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Um, well, let me see!
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
(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 “Um, well, let me see!
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading THE FIRST VISIT OF DAVE DAVIS “It seems ages since the boys left for the round-up,” remarked Bess to Mrs. West, one afternoon, as they sat sewing.
at the time that
From this reading “When do you think they will be home?”
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
a Caucasian
From this reading Folding the soft, white cloth, which seemed to accentuate the dark-skinned hands, Mrs. West paused a moment before answering.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading “When do you think they will be home?”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “When do you think they will be home?”
