used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality or truth of
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
anew
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He found that the night’s catch had been larger than he had hoped.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading He found that the night’s catch had been larger than he had hoped.
chicken-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
collectedadjectiveUS /kəˈlektəd/
brought together in one place
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
coloredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərd/
having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
crawlverbUS /krɔːl/
move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
darkies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
darky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
Ephraim
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
make plain and comprehensible
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
set up or found
From this reading He found that the night’s catch had been larger than he had hoped.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
good-sized
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
past form of “hope” — expect and wish
From this reading He found that the night’s catch had been larger than he had hoped.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
and nothing more
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading He found that the night’s catch had been larger than he had hoped.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
the force of workers available
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
night'snounUS /naɪts/
possessive form of “night” — the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading He found that the night’s catch had been larger than he had hoped.
not any; not one
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
pushverbUS /pʊʃ/
move with force
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
rodsnounUS /rɑːdz/
plural of “rod” — a long thin implement made of metal or wood
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
shot-gun
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
sixteenadjectiveUS /sɪkˈstiːn/
being one more than fifteen
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
sizesnounUS /ˈsaɪzəz/
plural of “size” — the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He found that the night’s catch had been larger than he had hoped.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He found that the night’s catch had been larger than he had hoped.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading “I asked him to explain how he had collected his darkies, and being in unusually good spirits he told me about it.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The morning after he had set the trap Ephraim took his shot-gun and went down to his chicken-house.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were sixteen colored men of different sizes sitting on the ground or leaning up against the side of the house.
which person or people
From this reading “He had made his trap just large enough to admit a good-sized darky, who could push the steel rods apart as he crawled in but who couldn’t crawl out again, no matter how hard he might try.
