used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
ABOUTprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading They were Mrs. Olds’ favorite topic of conversation at breakfast time.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
the use of speech for informal exchange of views or ideas or information etc.
From this reading They were Mrs. Olds’ favorite topic of conversation at breakfast time.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading She seemed to delight in keeping my neck under the yoke.
doggedlyadverbUS /ˈdɔːɡədli/
with obstinate determination
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The mice that I took from the traps each morning were legion.
exactedverbUS /ɪɡˈzæktɪd/
past form of “exact” — claim as due or just
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
favoritenounUS /ˈfeɪvərɪt/
something regarded with special favor or liking
From this reading They were Mrs. Olds’ favorite topic of conversation at breakfast time.
make full, also in a metaphorical sense
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The mice that I took from the traps each morning were legion.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
hingesnounUS /ˈhɪndʒɪz/
plural of “hinge” — a joint that holds two parts together so that one can swing relative to the other
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She seemed to delight in keeping my neck under the yoke.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
conformity or harmony
From this reading She seemed to delight in keeping my neck under the yoke.
edge tool used as a cutting instrument; has a pointed blade with a sharp edge and a handle
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
legionnounUS /ˈliːdʒən/
archaic terms for army
From this reading The mice that I took from the traps each morning were legion.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
micenounUS /maɪs/
plural of “mouse” — any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails
From this reading The mice that I took from the traps each morning were legion.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The mice that I took from the traps each morning were legion.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading She seemed to delight in keeping my neck under the yoke.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
OldsnounUS /oʊldz/
plural of “old” — past times (especially in the phrase “in days of old”)
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
perverseadjectiveUS /pərˈvɜːrs/
marked by a disposition to oppose and contradict
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
saggingadjectiveUS /ˈsæɡɪŋ/
hanging down (as from exhaustion or weakness)
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading She seemed to delight in keeping my neck under the yoke.
performance of duties or provision of space and equipment helpful to others
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
tediousadjectiveUS /ˈtiːdiəs/
so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were Mrs. Olds’ favorite topic of conversation at breakfast time.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They were Mrs. Olds’ favorite topic of conversation at breakfast time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The mice that I took from the traps each morning were legion.
topicnounUS /ˈtɑːpɪk/
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading They were Mrs. Olds’ favorite topic of conversation at breakfast time.
trapsnounUS /træps/
plural of “trap” — a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading The mice that I took from the traps each morning were legion.
tread-mill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
trivialadjectiveUS /ˈtrɪviəl/
(informal) small and of little importance
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
umbragenounUS /ˈʌmbrɪdʒ/
a feeling of anger caused by being offended
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She seemed to delight in keeping my neck under the yoke.
unnecessaryadjectiveUS /ənˈnesəseri/
not necessary
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
WANZA
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was always a door sagging on its hinges, a knife that needed a new handle, a lamp or two that she or Wanza had forgotten to fill.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The mice that I took from the traps each morning were legion.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading I BEGIN TO WONDER ABOUT WANZA SOMETIMES I grew perverse, and went about the tedious common round of my tread-mill existence doggedly, taking umbrage at Mrs. Olds for the many unnecessary, trivial services she exacted.
yokenounUS /joʊk/
fabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment
From this reading She seemed to delight in keeping my neck under the yoke.
