used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Case will have a fit, all right!
Alex
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
(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 “Now we’ve got to stop here all night!
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
a youthful male person
From this reading “Nice thing!” muttered the boy.
brakemannounUS /ˈbreɪkmən/
a railroad employee responsible for a train's brakes
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
caboosenounUS /kəˈbuːs/
the area for food preparation on a ship
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
an occurrence of something
From this reading Case will have a fit, all right!
clenchedadjectiveUS /klentʃt/
closed or squeezed together tightly
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
having gaps or spaces
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
derisionnounUS /dərˈɪʒən/
contemptuous laughter
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
fistnounUS /fɪst/
a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading Case will have a fit, all right!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
freightnounUS /freɪt/
goods carried by a large vehicle
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
frowningadjectiveUS /ˈfraʊnɪŋ/
showing displeasure or anger
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading “Now we’ve got to stop here all night!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Case will have a fit, all right!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “Now we’ve got to stop here all night!
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
lanternnounUS /ˈlæntərn/
light in a transparent protective case
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
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 When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
spoke in a low voice that was difficult to hear
From this reading “Nice thing!” muttered the boy.
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading “Nice thing!” muttered the boy.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading “Now we’ve got to stop here all night!
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “Now we’ve got to stop here all night!
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Case will have a fit, all right!
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
slowingnounUS /ˈsloʊɪŋ/
a decrease in rate of change
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading “Now we’ve got to stop here all night!
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
a special situation
From this reading “Nice thing!” muttered the boy.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “Now we’ve got to stop here all night!
create by training and teaching
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
we've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Now we’ve got to stop here all night!
Whee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whee!
at the time that
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
which person or people
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Case will have a fit, all right!
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading When the long freight train dashed by Alex without slowing down, he stood for an instant frowning and shaking his clenched fist at the rear brakeman, who swung his lantern in derision and passed into the caboose.
