used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Light and air had little difficulty in passing through.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
astonishingadjectiveUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃɪŋ/
surprising greatly
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
ballsnounUS /bɔːlz/
plural of “ball” — round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
buckboardnoun
an open horse-drawn carriage with four wheels; has a seat attached to a flexible board between the two axles
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
congregationnounUS /ˌkɑːŋɡrəˈɡeɪʃən/
a group of people who adhere to a common faith and habitually attend a given church
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
cottonnounUS /ˈkɑːtən/
soft silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
depressionsnounUS /dɪˈpreʃənz/
plural of “depression” — a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading Light and air had little difficulty in passing through.
directingadjectiveUS /dərˈektɪŋ/
showing the way by conducting or leading; imposing direction on
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And Hapgood, the fastidious, lay down.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
the act of examining something closely (as for mistakes)
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
fastidiousadjectiveUS /fæˈstɪdiəs/
giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness
From this reading And Hapgood, the fastidious, lay down.
inflected form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
gaudyadjectiveUS /ˈɡɔːdi/
tastelessly showy
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
Hapgood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
hintedverbUS /ˈhɪntəd/
past form of “hint” — drop a hint; intimate by a hint
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
jerkedverbUS /dʒɜːrkt/
past form of “jerk” — pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading And Hapgood, the fastidious, lay down.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Light and air had little difficulty in passing through.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Light and air had little difficulty in passing through.
LonesomeadjectiveUS /ˈloʊnsəm/
being the only one; single and isolated from others
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
lumpsnounUS /lʌmps/
plural of “lump” — a compact mass
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
much-worn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
on one occasion
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading Light and air had little difficulty in passing through.
patternsnounUS /ˈpætərnz/
plural of “pattern” — a perceptual structure
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
Pete
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
a separate part of a whole
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
quiltsnounUS /kwɪlts/
plural of “quilt” — bedding made of two layers of cloth filled with stuffing and stitched together
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
a strong line
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Light and air had little difficulty in passing through.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lonesome Pete jerked off the piece of rope which had held them in a roll and flung them to the ground, directing toward Hapgood a glance which was an invitation.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
in or at the place that
From this reading Now they were an astonishing congregation of lumps where the cotton had succeeded in getting itself rolled into balls and of depressions where the cotton had fled.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Lonesome Pete dragged from the buckboard a couple of much-worn quilts, a careful examination of which hinted that they had once upon a time been gay and gaudy with brilliant red and green patterns.
