Chapter I · Chapter 1

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

(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 Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

stopped up; clogged up

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

plural of “claw” — sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

an institution created to conduct business

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

plural of “copper” — a ductile malleable reddish-brown corrosion-resistant diamagnetic metallic element; occurs in various minerals but is the only metal that occurs abundantly in large masses; used as an electrical and thermal conductor

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading And he scratched and stared, and the next one said "How on earth do _you_ scratch your head?"

the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading And he scratched and stared, and the next one said "How on earth do _you_ scratch your head?"

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

the organ of sight

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

opinion or judgment

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

descend in free fall under the influence of gravity

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

enclose with a fence

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

occurring at or forming an end or termination

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

a state of nervous depression

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

(folklore) a small grotesque supernatural creature that makes trouble for human beings

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

plural of “goblin” — (folklore) a small grotesque supernatural creature that makes trouble for human beings

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

a joint that holds two parts together so that one can swing relative to the other

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And he scratched and stared, and the next one said "How on earth do _you_ scratch your head?"

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

past form of “laugh” — produce laughter

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

the sound of laughing

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

plural of “lid” — either of two folds of skin that can be moved to cover or open the eye

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

make less severe or harsh

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading And he scratched and stared, and the next one said "How on earth do _you_ scratch your head?"

the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

not any; not one

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

plural of “pie” — dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

past form of “rasp” — scrape with a rasp

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

covered with or consisting of rust

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

plural of “say” — the chance to speak

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

cause friction

From this reading And he scratched and stared, and the next one said "How on earth do _you_ scratch your head?"

past form of “scratch” — cause friction

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

a high-pitched noise resembling a human cry

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

a general conscious awareness

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

plural of “sock” — hosiery consisting of a cloth covering for the foot; worn inside the shoe; reaches to between the ankle and the knee

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes

From this reading And he scratched and stared, and the next one said "How on earth do _you_ scratch your head?"

(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

forceful prevention; putting down by power or authority

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

express in words

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

in or at that place or location

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

one of three equal parts of a divisible whole

From this reading And the third little Goblin leered round at me-- And there were no lids on his eyes at all-- And he clucked one eye, and he says, says he, "What is the style of your socks this fall?"

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading And the first one said, as he scratched his head With a queer little arm that reached out of his ear And rasped its claws in his hair so red-- "This is what this little arm is fer!"

past form of “thump” — move rhythmically

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

up to a particular time

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

a sudden sharp feeling

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

at the time that

From this reading And he laughed like the screech of a rusty hinge-- Laughed and laughed till his face grew black; And when he choked, with a final twinge Of his stifling laughter, he thumped his back With a fist that grew on the end of his tail Till the breath came back to his lips so pale.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading Funk & Wagnalls Company New York and London They all climbed up on a high board-fence-- Nine little Goblins, with green-glass eyes-- Nine little Goblins that had no sense, And couldn't tell coppers from cold mince pies; And they all climbed up on the fence, and sat-- And I asked them what they were staring at.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading And he scratched and stared, and the next one said "How on earth do _you_ scratch your head?"

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading And he scratched and stared, and the next one said "How on earth do _you_ scratch your head?"