used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A NASTY CROPPER.
at or in the front
From this reading But there were pitfalls ahead.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading "Come along, come along!" the examiner growled impatiently.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
botanynounUS /ˈbɑːtəni/
all the plant life in a particular region or period
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But there were pitfalls ahead.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "Come along, come along!" the examiner growled impatiently.
compressverbUS /ˈkɑːmpres/
make more compact by or as if by pressing
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
CROPPERnounUS /ˈkrɑːpər/
small farmers and tenants
From this reading A NASTY CROPPER.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
examinernounUS /ɪɡˈzæmənər/
someone who administers a test to determine your qualifications
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
the organ of sight
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
glaredverbUS /ɡlerd/
past form of “glare” — look at with a fixed gaze
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
grey-bearded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
growledverbUS /ɡraʊld/
past form of “growl” — to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds
From this reading "Come along, come along!" the examiner growled impatiently.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
hopelesslyadverbUS /ˈhoʊpləsli/
in a hopeless manner
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
impatientlyadverbUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/
with impatience; in an impatient manner
From this reading "Come along, come along!" the examiner growled impatiently.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
intimationnounUS /ˌɪntəˈmeɪʃən/
an indirect suggestion
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
microscopesnounUS /ˈmaɪkrəskoʊps/
plural of “microscope” — magnifier of the image of small objects
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
NASTYadjectiveUS /ˈnæsti/
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading A NASTY CROPPER.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
pitfallsnounUS /ˈpɪtfɔːlz/
plural of “pitfall” — an unforeseen or unexpected or surprising difficulty
From this reading But there were pitfalls ahead.
pronounceverbUS /prəˈnaʊns/
speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
resembleverbUS /rɪˈzembəl/
appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
cut with a saw
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
skatesnounUS /skeɪts/
plural of “skate” — sports equipment that is worn on the feet to enable the wearer to glide along and to be propelled by the alternate actions of the legs
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
studentnounUS /ˈstuːdənt/
a learner who is enrolled in an educational institution
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
in or at that place or location
From this reading But there were pitfalls ahead.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
male cat
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
tubenounUS /tuːb/
conduit consisting of a long hollow object (usually cylindrical) used to hold and conduct objects or liquids or gases
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But there were pitfalls ahead.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading As he moved to the botany table a grey-bearded examiner waved his hand in the direction of the row of microscopes as an intimation that the student was to look through them and pronounce upon what he saw.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Tom seemed to compress his whole soul into his one eye as he glared hopelessly through the tube at what appeared to him to resemble nothing so much as a sheet of ice with the marks of skates upon it.
