used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
AfricanadjectiveUS /ˈæfrəkən/
of or relating to the nations of Africa or their peoples
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
(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 “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
amazedadjectiveUS /əˈmeɪzd/
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading Miss Campbell and the girls exchanged rather amazed glances.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/
bring into balance or equilibrium
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
BooverbUS /buː/
show displeasure, as after a performance or speech
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
Borria
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
Bungalee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
CampbellnounUS /ˈkæmbəl/
United States mythologist (1904-1987)
From this reading Miss Campbell and the girls exchanged rather amazed glances.
chorusnounUS /ˈkɔːrəs/
any utterance produced simultaneously by a group
From this reading “Scale and balance is punning, you see!” roared the chorus.
doubledadjectiveUS /ˈdʌbəld/
twice as great or many
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading They had drawn up in front of a long low rancho.
inflected form of “eat” — take in solid food
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
exchangedadjectiveUS /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒd/
changed for (replaced by) something different
From this reading Miss Campbell and the girls exchanged rather amazed glances.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading They had drawn up in front of a long low rancho.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading Miss Campbell and the girls exchanged rather amazed glances.
glancesnounUS /ˈɡlænsɪz/
plural of “glance” — a quick look
From this reading Miss Campbell and the girls exchanged rather amazed glances.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had drawn up in front of a long low rancho.
he'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
provoking horror
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
hullaballoo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had drawn up in front of a long low rancho.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
large or big relative to something else
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
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 They had drawn up in front of a long low rancho.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading They had drawn up in front of a long low rancho.
malenounUS /meɪl/
an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
man-eating
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Campbell and the girls exchanged rather amazed glances.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
on one occasion
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
punningnoun
a humorous play on words
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
rancho
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had drawn up in front of a long low rancho.
on the contrary
From this reading Miss Campbell and the girls exchanged rather amazed glances.
roaredverbUS /rɔːrd/
past form of “roar” — make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading “Scale and balance is punning, you see!” roared the chorus.
scalenounUS /skeɪl/
an ordered reference standard
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
plural of “subject” — the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They had drawn up in front of a long low rancho.
Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
yellnounUS /jel/
a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading “King Borria Bungalee Boo, Was a man-eating African swell, His sigh was a hullaballoo, His whisper a horrible yell—A horrible, horrible yell!
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Four subjects and all of them male To Borria doubled the knee, They were once on a far larger scale, But he’d eaten the balance, you see—Scale and balance is punning, you see!
