used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Did you ever examine an ant-hill, dear reader?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
ant-hill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Did you ever examine an ant-hill, dear reader?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
beetle's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
businessesnounUS /ˈbɪznəsəz/
plural of “business” — a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
bustlingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌsəlɪŋ/
full of energetic and noisy activity
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
cosmosnounUS /ˈkɑːz.moʊs/
The universe seen as a well-ordered whole governed by rational nature.
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
dearly loved
From this reading Did you ever examine an ant-hill, dear reader?
Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Did you ever examine an ant-hill, dear reader?
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
dragverbUS /dræɡ/
pull, as against a resistance
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
epitomenounUS /ɪˈpɪtəmi/
a standard or typical example
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
at any time
From this reading Did you ever examine an ant-hill, dear reader?
examineverbUS /ɪɡˈzæmɪn/
consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading Did you ever examine an ant-hill, dear reader?
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
a man of refinement
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
haunchnoun
the hip and buttock and upper thigh in human beings
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
jostleverbUS /ˈdʒɑːsəl/
make one's way by jostling, pushing, or shoving
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
attach a tag or label to
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
other's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
have ownership or possession of
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
the act of pulling; applying force to move something toward or with you
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
any competition
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
a person who enjoys reading
From this reading Did you ever examine an ant-hill, dear reader?
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
thighnounUS /θaɪ/
the part of the leg between the hip and the knee
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But especially mark that black gentleman, pulling hard to drag along a fat beetle's leg and thigh, three times as large as his own body.
tugsnounUS /tʌɡz/
plural of “tug” — a sudden abrupt pull
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
precisely as stated
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading See how the little fellows run bustling along upon their several businesses--see how some get out of each other's way, how others jostle, and others walk over their fellows' heads!
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading What a wonderful little cosmos it is--what an epitome of a great city--of the human race!
but in spite of that
From this reading He cannot get it on, do what he will; and yet he tugs away, thinking it a very fine haunch indeed.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Did you ever examine an ant-hill, dear reader?
