used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
acrobatsnounUS /ˈækrəbæts/
plural of “acrobat” — an athlete who performs acts requiring skill and agility and coordination
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
(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 In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
amphitheaternounUS /ˈæmfəθiˈeɪtər/
a sloping gallery with seats for spectators (as in an operating room or theater)
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
arenanounUS /ərˈiːnə/
a particular environment or walk of life
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
bare-back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
brought into existence
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
boxesnounUS /ˈbɑːksəz/
plural of “box” — a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
circusnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəs/
a travelling company of entertainers; including trained animals
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
clownsnounUS /klaʊnz/
plural of “clown” — a rude or vulgar fool
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
cranedverbUS /kreɪnd/
past form of “crane” — stretch (the neck) so as to see better
From this reading And you have craned, strained, and twisted your neck, trying to take it all in.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
EasternadjectiveUS /ˈiːstərn/
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
extraordinarily large in size or extent or amount or power or degree
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
opinion or judgment
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
fifthnounUS /fɪfθ/
a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
the act of departing
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading And that is your idea of a show.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And that is your idea of a show.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading And you have craned, strained, and twisted your neck, trying to take it all in.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
performancenounUS /pərˈfɔːrməns/
a dramatic or musical entertainment
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
by chance
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
(theology) the origination of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
past form of “recall” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
ridersnounUS /ˈraɪdərz/
plural of “rider” — a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
ringsnounUS /rɪŋz/
gymnastic apparatus consisting of a pair of heavy metal circles (usually covered with leather) suspended by ropes; used for gymnastic exercises
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
rowsnounUS /roʊz/
plural of “row” — an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
sawdustnounUS /ˈsɔːdʌst/
fine particles of wood made by sawing wood
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
seatsnounUS /siːts/
an area that includes places where several people can sit
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading And that is your idea of a show.
strainedadjectiveUS /streɪnd/
lacking natural ease
From this reading And you have craned, strained, and twisted your neck, trying to take it all in.
stuntsnounUS /stʌnts/
plural of “stunt” — a difficult or unusual or dangerous feat; usually done to gain attention
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
carry out
From this reading And you have craned, strained, and twisted your neck, trying to take it all in.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And that is your idea of a show.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
tiersnounUS /tiːrz/
plural of “tier” — a relative position or degree of value in a graded group
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And you have craned, strained, and twisted your neck, trying to take it all in.
trainedadjectiveUS /treɪnd/
shaped or conditioned or disciplined by training; often used as a combining form
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
hard to endure
From this reading And you have craned, strained, and twisted your neck, trying to take it all in.
twistedadjectiveUS /ˈtwɪstɪd/
having an intended meaning altered or misrepresented
From this reading And you have craned, strained, and twisted your neck, trying to take it all in.
precisely as stated
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
past form of “visit” — go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading In the sawdust arena you have seen three circus rings, a performance going on in each; acrobats, bare-back riders, trained animals, what not; and around the edge of it all a procession of clowns, doing their merry stunts.
at the time that
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
WhiteynounUS /ˈwaɪtiː/
(slang) offensive names for a White man
From this reading In such a place sat Whitey, for that was what a show recalled to his mind, but when he opened his eyes, and came away from that mind circus, he was in a very different place.
in the company of; together with
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
WONDERSnounUS /ˈwʌndərz/
plural of “wonder” — the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading WONDERS Perhaps if you were born in, or have visited, a great Eastern city you have sat in an enormous amphitheater, a fifth of a mile in length, with tiers and tiers of private boxes, and rows and rows of seats.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading And you have craned, strained, and twisted your neck, trying to take it all in.
