used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
astrayadverbUS /əˈstreɪ/
away from the right path or direction
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
a boy or man
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
go or come after and bring or take back
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
set up or found
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
glaringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlerɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
heathnounUS /hiːθ/
a low evergreen shrub of the family Ericaceae; has small bell-shaped pink or purple flowers
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
the act of retaining something
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions on one's way of life.
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
a female domestic
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
Rowley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
plural of “say” — the chance to speak
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
get by special effort
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
in an aggressive manner
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
propel through the air
From this reading He pushed his head further out, holding the candle so as to throw the light into the road.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But I found a poor maid astray on the heath, and have taken the liberty to fetch her home safe and secure."
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
topsman
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Well," says I in a friendly way, "I'm not Old Rowley, nor am I the topsman, but something in between, and what that is matters nothing.
which person or people
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The door comes open sharply, and there was an old fat fellow with a candle in his hand, glaring at me.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Who are you?" says he, for my appearance took him by surprise.
