used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
(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 Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
burntadjectiveUS /bɜːrnt/
ruined by overcooking
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
deliciousadjectiveUS /dɪˈlɪʃəs/
greatly pleasing or entertaining
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
past form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
chemical process in which one atom or ion or group changes places with another
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
expeditionsnounUS /ˌekspəˈdɪʃənz/
plural of “expedition” — a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
hopelessadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpləs/
without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success
From this reading At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys.
inspirationnounUS /ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃən/
arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
From this reading At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
engage in
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
marblesnounUS /ˈmɑːrbəlz/
a children's game played with little balls made of a hard substance (as glass)
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
by chance
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys.
a particular point in time
From this reading At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
multipliedadjectiveUS /ˈmʌltəplaɪd/
greatly increased as by multiplication
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
plannedadjectiveUS /plænd/
designed or carried out according to a plan
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys.
free of extraneous elements of any kind
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
in the near future
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
sorrowsnounUS /ˈsɑːroʊz/
plural of “sorrow” — an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
plural of “sort” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
straitened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He began to think of the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.
toysnounUS /tɔɪz/
plural of “toy” — an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
trashnounUS /træʃ/
worthless material that is to be disposed of
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
trippingadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪpɪŋ/
characterized by a buoyant rhythm
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
hard to endure
From this reading So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading So he returned his straitened means to his pocket, and gave up the idea of trying to buy the boys.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading At this dark and hopeless moment an inspiration burst upon him.
precisely as stated
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
the state of being rich and affluent; having a plentiful supply of material goods and money
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
worldlyadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrldli/
characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world
From this reading He got out his worldly wealth and examined it--bits of toys, marbles and trash; enough to buy an exchange of work maybe, but not enough to buy so much as half an hour of pure freedom.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Soon the free boys would come tripping along on all sorts of delicious expeditions, and they would make a world of fun of him for having to work--the very thought of it burnt him like fire.
