1908
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
past form of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
a youthful male person
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
branch-bottoms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
deem to be
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
grown-up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
gum-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
gumsnounUS /ɡʌmz/
plural of “gum” — a preparation (usually made of sweetened chicle) for chewing
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
harenounUS /her/
swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs; young born furred and with open eyes
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
haresnounUS /herz/
plural of “hare” — swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs; young born furred and with open eyes
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
logsnounUS /lɔːɡz/
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
negroesnounUS /ˈniːɡroʊz/
plural of “negro” — a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
and nothing more
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
partridgesnounUS /ˈpɑːrtrɪdʒɪz/
plural of “partridge” — flesh of either quail or grouse
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
peculiarlyadverbUS /pɪˈkjuːljərli/
uniquely or characteristically
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
pointersnounUS /ˈpɔɪntərz/
plural of “pointer” — a mark to indicate a direction or relation
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
on the contrary
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
scornedadjectiveUS /skɔːrnd/
treated with dislike or contempt
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
Scribner's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
plural of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the "old fields" and branch-bottoms used to be full of them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
trapsnounUS /træps/
plural of “trap” — a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading And the negroes used to catch them in traps or "gums," which were traps made of hollow gum-tree logs.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were peculiarly our game; I mean we used to consider that they belonged to us boys.
at the time that
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
which person or people
From this reading They were rather scorned by the "gentlemen," by which was meant the grown-up gentlemen, who shot partridges over the pointers, and only picked up a hare when she got in their way.
the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose
From this reading Charles Scribner's Sons New York, 1908 There do not seem to be as many hares now as there used to be when I was a boy.
