used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
a line of approach
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
choosesverbUS /ˈtʃuːzəz/
third-person singular of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
direct the course of; manage or control
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
dirtnounUS /dɜːrt/
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Having opened the door, he pushed his poor yellow straggler in and followed himself.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
entersverbUS /ˈentərz/
third-person singular of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Having opened the door, he pushed his poor yellow straggler in and followed himself.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
Havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Having opened the door, he pushed his poor yellow straggler in and followed himself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Having opened the door, he pushed his poor yellow straggler in and followed himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
jumpingnounUS /ˈdʒʌmpɪŋ/
the act of participating in an athletic competition in which you must jump
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
kickedverbUS /kɪkt/
past form of “kick” — drive or propel with the foot
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
kittennounUS /ˈkɪtən/
young domestic cat
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
latchverbUS /lætʃ/
fasten with a latch
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
not any; not one
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
being perceived or observed
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Having opened the door, he pushed his poor yellow straggler in and followed himself.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
pawverbUS /pɔː/
scrape with the paws
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
PlatonounUS /ˈpleɪtoʊ/
ancient Athenian philosopher; pupil of Socrates; teacher of Aristotle (428-347 BC)
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
pleasesverbUS /ˈpliːzɪz/
third-person singular of “please” — give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Having opened the door, he pushed his poor yellow straggler in and followed himself.
predictedverbUS /prɪˈdɪktɪd/
past form of “predict” — make a prediction about; tell in advance
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading Having opened the door, he pushed his poor yellow straggler in and followed himself.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
get rid of
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
stragglernounUS /ˈstræɡlər/
someone who strays or falls behind
From this reading Having opened the door, he pushed his poor yellow straggler in and followed himself.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
in or at that place or location
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
except if; if not
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
UponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
waitsnounUS /weɪts/
plural of “wait” — time during which some action is awaited
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading When Lord Plato chooses, he enters the front doors, but as he waits no man's pleasure, unless it pleases him first, he has a way of getting in on his own account.
at the time that
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Upon one of the shed doors is an old-fashioned latch, which by jumping he can reach and lift with his paw.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading As his conduct can never be predicted, great was the curiosity when one cold afternoon he was noticed walking up the avenue while a miserable yellow kitten dragged herself after him.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading She was so thin you could count her bones, and she had been so pulled and kicked that there seemed to be nothing of her but length and--dirt.
