used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
on a ship, train, plane or other vehicle
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
(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 "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
bowingnounUS /ˈboʊɪŋ/
bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame or greeting
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
bowsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
car-windows
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
cheeredverbUS /tʃɪrd/
past form of “cheer” — give encouragement to
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
cheersnounUS /tʃɪrz/
plural of “cheer” — a cry or shout of approval
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
conductornounUS /kənˈdʌktər/
the person who leads a musical group
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
curvenounUS /kɜːrv/
the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
decoratingverbUS /ˈdekəreɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “decorate” — make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
emptiedverbUS /ˈemptid/
inflected form of “empty” — make void or empty of contents
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
handkerchiefsnounUS /ˈhæŋkərtʃəfs/
plural of “handkerchief” — a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
Hopalong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
jerkedverbUS /dʒɜːrkt/
past form of “jerk” — pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
immediately past
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
in like or similar manner
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
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 They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
with low volume
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
reportsnounUS /rɪˈpɔːrts/
plural of “report” — a written document describing the findings of some individual or group
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
screechingnounUS /ˈskriːtʃɪŋ/
a high-pitched noise resembling a human cry
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
smokernounUS /ˈsmoʊkər/
a person who smokes tobacco
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
sombreros
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then Hopalong jerked his gun loose and emptied it into the air, his companions doing likewise.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
create by training and teaching
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading Suddenly five reports rang out from the smoker and they cheered the fat man as he waved at them.
wavingnounUS /ˈweɪvɪŋ/
the act of signaling by a movement of the hand
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Hopalong and the others had mounted and were busy waving their sombreros and bowing to the heads and handkerchiefs which were decorating the car-windows.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading They sat quietly and watched the train until the last handkerchief became lost to sight around a curve, but the screeching whistle could be heard for a long time.
plural of “wish” — a specific feeling of desire
From this reading "All aboard!" shouted the conductor, and cheers and good wishes rang out and were replied to by bows and waving of sombreros.
