used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
Bain
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
Barbie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
batedadjectiveUS /ˈbeɪtɪd/
diminished or moderated
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
for the reason that
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
plural of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
confined by bonds
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
cacklingverbUS /ˈkækəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “cackle” — talk or utter in a cackling manner
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
cannanoun
any plant of the genus Canna having large sheathing leaves and clusters of large showy flowers
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
collapsenounUS /kəˈlæps/
an abrupt failure of function or complete physical exhaustion
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
travel across or pass over
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
dislikenounUS /dɪˈslaɪk/
an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
dismissedadjectiveUS /dɪˈsmɪst/
having lost your job
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
downfallnounUS /ˈdaʊnfɔːl/
failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
edificenounUS /ˈedəfəs/
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
divisible by two
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
at any time
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
expectationnounUS /ˌekspekˈteɪʃən/
belief about (or mental picture of) the future
From this reading Simple expectation held them.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
fascinationnounUS /ˌfæsəˈneɪʃən/
the state of being intensely interested (as by awe or terror)
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/
occurring at or forming an end or termination
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
Gourlay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
Gourlay's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Simple expectation held them.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
JimmyverbUS /ˈdʒɪmi/
to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
immediately past
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
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 When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
maun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
the force of workers available
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
and nothing more
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
musedverbUS /mjuːzd/
past form of “muse” — reflect deeply on a subject
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
neighboursnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/
plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
o't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
Riney
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
sacknounUS /sæk/
a bag made of paper or plastic for holding customer's purchases
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
SandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading Simple expectation held them.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Simple expectation held them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
in or at that place or location
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
unholyadjectiveUS /ənˈhoʊli/
not hallowed or consecrated
From this reading The downfall of Gourlay had an unholy fascination for his neighbours, and that not merely because of their dislike to the man.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
at the time that
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
whetverbUS /wet/
make keen or more acute
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading When Jimmy Bain and Sandy Cross were dismissed last winter, "He canna last long now," mused the bodies; and then when even Riney got the sack, "Lord!" they cried, "this maun be the end o't."
in the company of; together with
From this reading That was a whet to their curiosity, of course; but, over and above it, they seemed to be watching, with bated breath, for the final collapse of an edifice that was bound to fall.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading There had been fine cackling in Barbie as Gourlay's men dropped away from him one by one; and now it was worse than ever.
