used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
Aldous
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
awakenverbUS /əˈweɪkən/
cause to become awake or conscious
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
baconnounUS /ˈbeɪkən/
back and sides of a hog salted and dried or smoked; usually sliced thin and fried
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
blanketsnounUS /ˈblæŋkəts/
plural of “blanket” — bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
a youthful male person
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
cheeryadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪri/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
cracklingnounUS /ˈkræklɪŋ/
the residue that remains after animal fat has been rendered
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
approval
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
the first light of day
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
dreamingnounUS /ˈdriːmɪŋ/
imaginative thoughts indulged in while awake
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
droopverbUS /druːp/
droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
start firing a weapon
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had wanted to whistle for the last half-hour.
set up or found
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
frying-pan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had wanted to whistle for the last half-hour.
half-hournounUS /ˈhæfaʊər/
a half of an hour
From this reading He had wanted to whistle for the last half-hour.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
plural of “knee” — hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
immediately past
From this reading He had wanted to whistle for the last half-hour.
listlessadjectiveUS /ˈlɪstləs/
lacking zest or vivacity
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
something that is lost
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
in motion
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
packer's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
plungingverbUS /ˈplʌndʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
with low volume
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
rashers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
slicingnounUS /ˈslaɪsɪŋ/
a golf shot that curves to the right for a right-handed golfer
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
StevensnounUS /ˈstiːvənz/
United States psychologist and psychophysicist who proposed Stevens' power law to replace Fechner's law (1906-1973)
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
tepeenoun
a Native American tent; usually of conical shape
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
uneasilyadverbUS /əˈniːzəli/
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading Stevens, dreaming of twenty horses plunging to death among the rocks in the river, slept uneasily.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading He had wanted to whistle for the last half-hour.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading The weight of his loss was in the tired packer's eyes and face and the listless droop of his shoulders.
at the time that
From this reading He awoke before it was dawn, but when he dragged himself from his tepee, moving quietly not to awaken his boy, he found John Aldous on his knees before a small fire, slicing thin rashers of bacon into a frying-pan.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading He had wanted to whistle for the last half-hour.
in the company of; together with
From this reading John Aldous, with three hours between the blankets to his credit, was as cheery as the crackling fire itself.
