used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
Betty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
browsnounUS /braʊz/
plural of “brow” — the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
CRANKverbUS /kræŋk/
travel along a zigzag path
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
departingverbUS /dɪˈpɑːrtɪŋ/
-ing form of “depart” — move away from a place into another direction
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Well, I don't," said Grace ruefully.
at any time
From this reading "Nobody ever thinks of poor me."
a person who operates a farm
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
fistnounUS /fɪst/
a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
FordnounUS /fɔːrd/
United States film maker (1896-1973)
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
yet to be or coming
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading "Well, I don't," said Grace ruefully.
grouchnounUS /ɡraʊtʃ/
a bad-tempered person
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
cause to move by striking
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Nobody ever thinks of poor me."
MollienounUS /ˈmɑːli/
popular aquarium fish
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
no person; not anyone
From this reading "Nobody ever thinks of poor me."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Nobody ever thinks of poor me."
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
OUTWITTINGverbUS /ˈaʊtwɪtɪŋ/
inflected form of “outwit” — beat through cleverness and wit
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading "Nobody ever thinks of poor me."
ruefullyadverbUS /ˈruːfəli/
in a rueful manner
From this reading "Well, I don't," said Grace ruefully.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Well, I don't," said Grace ruefully.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking
From this reading "Nobody ever thinks of poor me."
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
vindictiveadjectiveUS /vɪnˈdɪktɪv/
disposed to seek revenge or intended for revenge
From this reading OUTWITTING A CRANK "Old grouch," cried Mollie, shaking a vindictive little fist after the departing farmer.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, I don't," said Grace ruefully.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
worriedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrid/
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading "I guess we had better be a little more careful in the future," said Mrs. Ford, a worried line between her brows.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading "If it hadn't been that you would have killed yourself too, Betty, I almost wish you had hit him."
