used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
any thing at all
From this reading Whenever anything was to be done the bellman was sent round.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Whenever anything was to be done the bellman was sent round.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
BELLMANnounUS /ˈbelmən/
someone employed as an errand boy and luggage carrier around hotels
From this reading BEN BIRCH, THE BELLMAN OF MANCHESTER.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading BEN BIRCH, THE BELLMAN OF MANCHESTER.
BIRCHnounUS /bɜːrtʃ/
hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
From this reading BEN BIRCH, THE BELLMAN OF MANCHESTER.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
without variation or change, in every case
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading Whenever anything was to be done the bellman was sent round.
having your services engaged for; or having a job especially one that pays wages or a salary
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
functionarynounUS /ˈfʌŋkʃəneri/
a worker who holds or is invested with an office
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
the act of giving
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
of great significance or value
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
and nothing more
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
magistratesnounUS /ˈmædʒɪstreɪts/
plural of “magistrate” — a lay judge or civil authority who administers the law (especially one who conducts a court dealing with minor offenses)
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
MANCHESTERnounUS /ˈmæntʃestər/
largest city in New Hampshire; located in southeastern New Hampshire on the Merrimack river
From this reading BEN BIRCH, THE BELLMAN OF MANCHESTER.
the light of the Moon
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
not any; not one
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
noticesnounUS /ˈnoʊtəsəz/
plural of “notice” — an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading BEN BIRCH, THE BELLMAN OF MANCHESTER.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
pacedverbUS /peɪst/
past form of “pace” — walk with slow or fast paces
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
a human being
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
ringingnounUS /ˈrɪŋɪŋ/
the sound of a bell ringing
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Whenever anything was to be done the bellman was sent round.
cut with a saw
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading Whenever anything was to be done the bellman was sent round.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The magistrates constantly employed him, and he paced about the streets ringing his bell, and giving public notices of one kind or other, all day long.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BEN BIRCH, THE BELLMAN OF MANCHESTER.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Whenever anything was to be done the bellman was sent round.
male cat
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
precisely as stated
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
at the time that
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
at any time that; every time that
From this reading Whenever anything was to be done the bellman was sent round.
which person or people
From this reading It was a fine moonlight night, almost as bright as day, and when Tom looked out he saw that the person who had just knocked was no other than Ben Birch.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Now the bellman was a very important functionary at the time, and it seemed as if the town could not get on without him.
