used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A TERRIFIED DARKY.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I knew that they were up, and stirring about the place.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I knew that they were up, and stirring about the place.
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
towards the shore from the water
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
cordwoodnoun
firewood cut and stacked in cords; wood sold by the cord
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
DARKY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A TERRIFIED DARKY.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
firemennounUS /ˈfaɪrmən/
plural of “fireman” — play in which children pretend to put out a fire
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading I knew that they were up, and stirring about the place.
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
negroesnounUS /ˈniːɡroʊz/
plural of “negro” — a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
on one occasion
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
parallelopipedons
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading I knew that they were up, and stirring about the place.
plantationnounUS /ˌplænˈteɪʃən/
an estate where cash crops are grown on a large scale (especially in tropical areas)
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
readinessnounUS /ˈredinəs/
the state of having been made ready or prepared for use or action (especially military action)
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
with safety; in a safe manner
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
without speaking
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
stirringnounUS /ˈstɜːrɪŋ/
agitating a liquid with an implement
From this reading I knew that they were up, and stirring about the place.
TERRIFIEDadjectiveUS /ˈterəfaɪd/
thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation
From this reading A TERRIFIED DARKY.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I knew that they were up, and stirring about the place.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I knew that they were up, and stirring about the place.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
underwoodnounUS /ˈʌndərwʊd/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Once safely ashore, I walked silently through the underwood in the direction of the landing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no one there, nothing but the parallelopipedons of cordwood piled up in readiness for the firemen.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I knew that they were up, and stirring about the place.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The question now arose how I was to get to the house--how to get inside it--without being seen by the negroes of the plantation.
