used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading After a hasty breakfast, he returned to the scene of the fire.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
ashesnounUS /ˈæʃ.ɪz/
The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance.
From this reading He was soon busily poking round in the ashes.
assurancenounUS /əˈʃʊrəns/
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
basementnounUS /ˈbeɪsmənt/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading After a hasty breakfast, he returned to the scene of the fire.
bricknounUS /brɪk/
rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
bricksnounUS /brɪks/
plural of “brick” — rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
busilyadverbUS /ˈbɪzəli/
in a busy manner
From this reading He was soon busily poking round in the ashes.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
past form of “care” — feel concern or interest
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
charcoalnounUS /ˈtʃɑːrkoʊl/
a carbonaceous material obtained by heating wood or other organic matter in the absence of air
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
without deviation
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
favoredadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪvərd/
preferred above all others and treated with partiality
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
start firing a weapon
From this reading After a hasty breakfast, he returned to the scene of the fire.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
set up or found
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
hastyadjectiveUS /ˈheɪsti/
excessively quick
From this reading After a hasty breakfast, he returned to the scene of the fire.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
heapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was soon busily poking round in the ashes.
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
Mazie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
on one occasion
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
pilesnounUS /paɪlz/
venous swelling external or internal to the anal sphincter
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
pokingnounUS /ˈpoʊkɪŋ/
a sharp hand gesture (resembling a blow)
From this reading He was soon busily poking round in the ashes.
in the right manner; correctly; suitably
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
receivingverbUS /rəˈsiːvɪŋ/
-ing form of “receive” — get something; come into possession of
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading After a hasty breakfast, he returned to the scene of the fire.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading He was soon busily poking round in the ashes.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading After a hasty breakfast, he returned to the scene of the fire.
schoolhousenounUS /ˈskuːlhaʊs/
a building where young people receive education
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
sectionnounUS /ˈsekʃən/
a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical)
From this reading The section of basement that had been directly beneath the office was entirely free from fire and bricks.
smoulderingadjective
showing scarcely suppressed anger
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
in the near future
From this reading He was soon busily poking round in the ashes.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
timbersnounUS /ˈtɪmbərz/
plural of “timber” — the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading He found heaps of charcoal and broken timbers smouldering beneath piles of brick, but fortune favored his search.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
waifnounUS /weɪf/
a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
in or at the place that
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
winksnounUS /wɪŋks/
plural of “wink” — a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading After receiving Mazie’s assurance that the little waif of the schoolhouse would be properly cared for, Johnny went at once to his own room, where he caught ten winks before the sun was high.
