Chapter XI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

later than; following

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

without doubt (used to reinforce an assertion)

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

next to; at the side of

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

a container; usually has a lid

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

a youthful male person

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

the act of delivering or distributing something (as goods or mail)

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

administer baptism to

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

giving a Christian name at baptism

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

the organ of sight

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

a collection of objects laid on top of each other

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

staying power

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

informal term of address for someone's wife

From this reading “Missus!

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

an organization to gain political power

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

(ethnic slur) offensive term for a Black child

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

-ing form of “scamper” — to move about or proceed hurriedly

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

cause fear in

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

in a vehement outcry

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Fast on her heels came some of the camp lubras bringing me an invitation to the christening party.

inflected form of “tell” — express in words

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Missus!” she shouted, “Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy, Topsy bin catch newfellow piccaninny boy,” and she sank down in a little breathless heap beside me.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

desired or wished for or sought

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

a Caucasian

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

in the company of; together with

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading One morning, a few weeks after our Willeroo scare, Bett-Bett came scampering up from the creek as fast as her thin little legs would carry her.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading “You eye,” they gasped, “him bin catch him alright,” and then they told me that Topsy, Sambo’s lubra, wanted me to come and see it, and christen it with a white man’s name.