used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)
From this reading SAM'S ADVENTURES AT THE DEPOT.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading SAM'S ADVENTURES AT THE DEPOT.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
carsnounUS /kɑːrz/
plural of “car” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
DEPOTnounUS /ˈdiːpoʊ/
station where transport vehicles load or unload passengers or goods
From this reading SAM'S ADVENTURES AT THE DEPOT.
destinationnounUS /ˌdestəˈneɪʃən/
the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey)
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
take in solid food
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading Entering he saw a young man in his shirt-sleeves engaged in sweeping.
a movement into or inward
From this reading Entering he saw a young man in his shirt-sleeves engaged in sweeping.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
grocery-store
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
feeling hunger; feeling a need or desire to eat food
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Entering he saw a young man in his shirt-sleeves engaged in sweeping.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Entering he saw a young man in his shirt-sleeves engaged in sweeping.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
as might be expected
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
ravenouslyadverb
in the manner of someone who is very hungry
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
SAM'SnounUS /sæmz/
possessive form of “sam” — a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an airborne target
From this reading SAM'S ADVENTURES AT THE DEPOT.
cut with a saw
From this reading Entering he saw a young man in his shirt-sleeves engaged in sweeping.
shirt-sleeves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Entering he saw a young man in his shirt-sleeves engaged in sweeping.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
stomachnounUS /ˈstʌmək/
an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
sweepingadjectiveUS /ˈswiːpɪŋ/
taking in or moving over (or as if over) a wide area; often used in combination
From this reading Entering he saw a young man in his shirt-sleeves engaged in sweeping.
carry out
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SAM'S ADVENTURES AT THE DEPOT.
in or at that place or location
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading About half a mile this side of the depot he passed a grocery-store, and it occurred to him that he might get something to eat there.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He had to travel on an empty stomach, and naturally got ravenously hungry before he reached his destination.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
Wendell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
in or at the place that
From this reading It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
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 It was six miles to the station at Wendell, where Sam proposed to take the cars for New York.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Entering he saw a young man in his shirt-sleeves engaged in sweeping.
