used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
AmericansnounUS /əˈmerəkənz/
plural of “american” — a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
a flexible container with a single opening
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
baggagenounUS /ˈbæɡədʒ/
cases used to carry belongings when traveling
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
emigrantsnounUS /ˈeməɡrənts/
plural of “emigrant” — someone who leaves one country to settle in another
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
set up or found
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
goatnounUS /ɡoʊt/
any of numerous agile ruminants related to sheep but having a beard and straight horns
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
HansnounUS /hɑːns/
plural of “han” — imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy; remembered as one of the great eras of Chinese civilization
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
occurring by chance
From this reading This was a lucky thought.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
passengernounUS /ˈpæsəndʒər/
a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
piernounUS /pɪr/
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
on the contrary
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
smuggleverbUS /ˈsmʌɡəl/
import or export without paying customs duties
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
steamshipnounUS /ˈstiːmʃɪp/
a ship powered by one or more steam engines
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
carry out
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was a lucky thought.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading This was a lucky thought.
throngedadjectiveUS /θrɔːŋd/
filled with great numbers crowded together
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading Thus it happened that Big Hans and Little Hans became Americans.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
UnitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/
characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity
From this reading But before they reached the United States some rather curious things happened to them.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
at the time that
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
disposed or inclined toward
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The captain of the steamship, Big Hans found, was not willing to take a goat as a passenger, and Big Hans was forced to return with his friend to the pier, while the other emigrants thronged on board.
witsnounUS /wɪts/
the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
From this reading He was nearly at his wits’ end, when it suddenly occurred to him to put Little Hans in a bag and smuggle him on board as baggage.
