used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The head and shoulders disappeared.
next to; at the side of
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
with bitterness; in a resentful manner
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
the lower side of anything
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
DaddynounUS /ˈdædi/
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, I didn't do it right!
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, I didn't do it right!
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading The head and shoulders disappeared.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, I didn't do it right!
dollnounUS /dɑːl/
a small replica of a person; used as a toy
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The head and shoulders disappeared.
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, I didn't do it right!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, I didn't do it right!
laddernounUS /ˈlædər/
steps consisting of two parallel members connected by rungs; for climbing up or down
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
come together
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, I didn't do it right!
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "Oh, Daddy, Daddy, I didn't do it right!
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
rungnounUS /rʌŋ/
a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading The head and shoulders disappeared.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
sobbingnounUS /ˈsɑːbɪŋ/
convulsive gasp made while weeping
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
SouthernernounUS /ˈsʌðərnər/
an American who lives in the South
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The head and shoulders disappeared.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
Virgie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
showing sorrow
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
at the time that
From this reading But when he reached the bottom rung, she rose to her feet and ran to meet him, weeping bitterly.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading A short pause followed, then the ladder came slowly down, and the Southerner descended, while Virgie crouched, a sobbing little heap, beside her doll.
