used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
apronnounUS /ˈeɪprən/
a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
belongingsnounUS /bɪˈlɔːŋɪŋz/
something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
dearly loved
From this reading No litter of beloved birds' eggs, snake-skins, turtle-shells!
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading No litter of beloved birds' eggs, snake-skins, turtle-shells!
a youthful male person
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
boyishadjectiveUS /ˈbɔɪɪʃ/
befitting or characteristic of a young boy
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
greatly pleasing or entertaining
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
eggsnounUS /eɡz/
oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food
From this reading No litter of beloved birds' eggs, snake-skins, turtle-shells!
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
especialadjectiveUS /əˈspeʃəl/
surpassing what is common or usual or expected
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
assemble or get together
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
litternounUS /ˈlɪtər/
the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
marblesnounUS /ˈmɑːrbəlz/
a children's game played with little balls made of a hard substance (as glass)
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
miscellanynounUS /ˈmɪsəleɪni/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
not any; not one
From this reading No litter of beloved birds' eggs, snake-skins, turtle-shells!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
on one occasion
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
an elaborate and systematic plan of action
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had a delightful scheme in her mind for clearing everything up.
snake-skins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No litter of beloved birds' eggs, snake-skins, turtle-shells!
stoopingadjectiveUS /ˈstuːpɪŋ/
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
stringsnounUS /strɪŋz/
the section of an orchestra that plays stringed instruments
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
turtle-shells
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No litter of beloved birds' eggs, snake-skins, turtle-shells!
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The Mother followed it up, stooping to gather the miscellany of boyish belongings into her apron.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Boy The trail of the Boy was always entirely distinct, but on this especial morning it lay over house, porch, barn--everything.
whittlings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She wanted to see how it would seem, for once, not to have any litter of whittlings, of strings and marbles and tops!
