used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
AndersonnounUS /ˈændərsən/
United States author whose works were frequently autobiographical (1876-1941)
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading “Nay, nay; take him away, take him away,” she said.
Becca
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
cartnounUS /kɑːrt/
a heavy open wagon usually having two wheels and drawn by an animal
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
inflected form of “cry” — utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
errandnounUS /ˈerənd/
a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Nay, nay; take him away, take him away,” she said.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
not in action or at work
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
lodgedverbUS /lɑːdʒd/
past form of “lodge” — be a lodger; stay temporarily
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
an old word for “no”
From this reading “Nay, nay; take him away, take him away,” she said.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
numberedverbUS /ˈnʌmbərd/
past form of “number” — add up in number or quantity
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
rappedverbUS /ræpt/
inflected form of “rap” — strike sharply
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
ReubennounUS /ˈruːbən/
(Old Testment) a son of Jacob and forefather of one of the tribes of Israel
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
Robbie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
RuddnounUS /rʌd/
European freshwater fish resembling the roach
From this reading Old 'Becca Rudd opened it, held a candle over her head, and peered into the darkness.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Nay, nay; take him away, take him away,” she said.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
shortenverbUS /ˈʃɔːrtən/
make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
carry out
From this reading “Nay, nay; take him away, take him away,” she said.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
Thwaite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Reuben Thwaite jumped from the cart and rapped at the door.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
at the time that
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
belonging to which person
From this reading When she heard what sick guest they had brought her, she trembled from head to foot, and cried to them not to shorten the life of a poor old soul whose days were numbered.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading They drove Robbie Anderson that night to the house of the old woman with whom he lodged, but their errand was an idle one.
