used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
any thing at all
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
without variation or change, in every case
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
convinceverbUS /kənˈvɪns/
make (someone) agree, understand, or realize the truth or validity of something
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
counternounUS /ˈkaʊntər/
table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
customernounUS /ˈkʌstəmər/
someone who pays for goods or services
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
customersnounUS /ˈkʌstəmərz/
plural of “customer” — someone who pays for goods or services
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
dozingverbUS /ˈdoʊzɪŋ/
-ing form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
firm-minded
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
fore-paws
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
in a gradual manner
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
obsequiousadjectiveUS /əbˈsiːkwiəs/
attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
and nothing more
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
overestimateverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈestəmeɪt/
make too high an estimate of
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
raptures
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
scratchverbUS /skrætʃ/
cause friction
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
slackadjectiveUS /slæk/
not tense or taut
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
soothingadjectiveUS /ˈsuːðɪŋ/
affording physical relief
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
stakedverbUS /steɪkt/
past form of “stake” — put at risk
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading To a firm-minded cat this alone gave the counter a value difficult to overestimate, and sometimes an obsequious customer fell into raptures over its beauty.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Business had been slack that morning, and it had only been pushed off three times.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
tuckedadjectiveUS /tʌkt/
having tucked or being tucked
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
a subdivision of a particular kind of thing
From this reading This was soothing, and the animal allowed customers of this type to scratch it gently behind the ear.
a numerical quantity measured or assigned or computed
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The cat, with its fore-paws tucked beneath it, was dozing on the counter.
a late time of life
From this reading It had staked out a claim on that counter some five years before, and if anything was required to convince it of the value of the possession it was the fact that it was being constantly pushed off.
