used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
aghastadjectiveUS /əˈɡæst/
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
lacking funds
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
coollyadverbUS /ˈkuːli/
in a composed and unconcerned manner
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
death-bed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
the organ of sight
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
a boy or man
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
immediately past
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
the act of departing
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
obsessedadjectiveUS /əbˈsest/
having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
outdoneverbUS /ˈaʊtˈdʌn/
inflected form of “outdo” — be or do something to a greater degree
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
pickingnounUS /ˈpɪkɪŋ/
the quantity of a crop that is harvested
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
piggin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
pottered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
Identical; not different.
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
cut with a saw
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
a male human offspring
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
switchverbUS /swɪtʃ/
change over, change around, as to a new order or sequence
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
a mobile mass of muscular tissue covered with mucous membrane and located in the oral cavity
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
precisely as stated
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When he came back, he asked like a man if supper was ready, and as to a man she answered.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
at the time that
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading For an hour he pottered around the barn, and for a long while he sat on the porch under the stars.
white-faced
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
in the company of; together with
From this reading She went back into the cabin when she saw him coming, and met him at the door with a switch in her hand.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading Very coolly the lad caught it from her, broke it in two, threw it away, and picking up a piggin went out without a word to milk, leaving her aghast and outdone.
the words that are spoken
From this reading And, as always at that hour, the same scene obsessed his memory, when the last glance of his father's eye and the last words of his father's tongue went not to his wife, but to the white-faced little son across the foot of the death-bed:
