used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That evening a wonderful thing happened to John.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
boy'snounUS /bɔɪz/
possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
make calm or still
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
Cavanaugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
chicken-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
commotionnounUS /kəˈmoʊʃən/
a disorderly outburst or tumult
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
conversingverbUS /kənˈvɜːrsɪŋ/
-ing form of “converse” — carry on a conversation
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading That evening a wonderful thing happened to John.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
set up or found
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading That evening a wonderful thing happened to John.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading That evening a wonderful thing happened to John.
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 That left John and Tilly on the veranda together.
moonlitadjectiveUS /ˈmuːnlɪt/
lighted by moonlight
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
self-possessionnoun
the trait of resolutely controlling your own behavior
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
in the near future
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That evening a wonderful thing happened to John.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
a special situation
From this reading That evening a wonderful thing happened to John.
bound or secured closely
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
Tilly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That left John and Tilly on the veranda together.
Tilly's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That evening a wonderful thing happened to John.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading That left John and Tilly on the veranda together.
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
verandanounUS /vərˈændə/
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading That left John and Tilly on the veranda together.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
Whaleys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a moonlit night and Cavanaugh took the two older Whaleys down to see the progress on the new building.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading There was a sort of commotion in the chicken-house near the barn and they started down there to see what had caused it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At first the poor boy's tongue was tied, but under the influence of Tilly's calm self-possession he soon found himself conversing with her quite easily.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading That evening a wonderful thing happened to John.
