used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
Cat'snounUS /kæts/
possessive form of “cat” — feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Please don't kill me, Mr. Grimalkin!" said Mousie.
a person who operates a farm
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
Farmer'snounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/
possessive form of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
a competitor thought likely to win
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
Grimalkin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading "Please don't kill me, Mr. Grimalkin!" said Mousie.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Poor little Mousie was terrified.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Please don't kill me, Mr. Grimalkin!" said Mousie.
micenounUS /maɪs/
plural of “mouse” — any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
MousenounUS /maʊs/
any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
Mousie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Poor little Mousie was terrified.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Please don't kill me, Mr. Grimalkin!" said Mousie.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Why not?
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading "Please don't kill me, Mr. Grimalkin!" said Mousie.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Poor little Mousie was terrified.
pouncedverbUS /paʊnst/
past form of “pounce” — move down on as if in an attack
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
prowlverbUS /praʊl/
move about in or as if in a predatory manner
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Please don't kill me, Mr. Grimalkin!" said Mousie.
shinyadjectiveUS /ˈʃaɪni/
reflecting light
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
sleekadjectiveUS /sliːk/
well-groomed and neatly tailored; especially too well-groomed
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
terrifiedadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪd/
thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation
From this reading Poor little Mousie was terrified.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading But the Farmer had a big black cat that used to prowl about watching for mice.
at the time that
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading It used never to notice the Farmer's own favourite Mouse while the Mouse was thin; but when he grew sleek and fat and shiny, Grimalkin (which was the Cat's name) lay in wait for him one day and pounced upon him.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why not?
