used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
anew
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
(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 What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement
From this reading "Papa doesn't want me to teach, anyway.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
barefootedadjective
without shoes
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
BatnounUS /bæt/
nocturnal mouselike mammal with forelimbs modified to form membranous wings and anatomical adaptations for echolocation by which they navigate
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
confidedverbUS /kənˈfaɪdɪd/
past form of “confide” — reveal in private; tell confidentially
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
CrawfordnounUS /ˈkrɔːfərd/
United States neoclassical sculptor (1814-1857)
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
Crawfordsville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
delectableadjectiveUS /dɪˈlektəbəl/
extremely pleasing to the sense of taste
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
doesn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Papa doesn't want me to teach, anyway.
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
yet to be or coming
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
gleenounUS /ɡliː/
great merriment
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
homewardadverbUS /ˈhoʊmwərd/
toward home
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
the quality of being important and worthy of note
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
Jocelyn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
and nothing more
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Papa doesn't want me to teach, anyway.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
mistyadjectiveUS /ˈmɪsti/
filled or abounding with fog or mist
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
a form of address for a man
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
optimismnounUS /ˈɑːptəmɪzəm/
the optimistic feeling that all is going to turn out well
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
reclamationnounUS /ˌrekləˈmeɪʃən/
the conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use of habitation or cultivation
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
scamperedverbUS /ˈskæmpərd/
past form of “scamper” — to move about or proceed hurriedly
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
scornfulness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
in or at or to some place
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
possessing sweep
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
tatteredadjectiveUS /ˈtætərd/
worn to shreds; or wearing torn or ragged clothing
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading "Papa doesn't want me to teach, anyway.
tear-dampened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mr. Crawford has been just as mean to poor papa as he could be," Miss Jocelyn had confided to them, in tear-dampened scornfulness.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
from that place or that time
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
in or at that place or location
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
Truxton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
not expected or anticipated
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
urchinsnounUS /ˈɜːrtʃənz/
plural of “urchin” — poor and often mischievous city child
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
vacationnounUS /veɪˈkeɪʃən/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading The few barefooted, tattered urchins of Valley City had scampered homeward through the quiet street, swept along upon the high tide of glee.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "Papa doesn't want me to teach, anyway.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
at the time that
From this reading What was the importance of reclamation somewhere off in the misty future when vacation, unexpected and thence all the more delectable, smiled upon them now?
in the company of; together with
From this reading Bat Truxton had got drunk again; Mr. Crawford had fired him; Miss Jocelyn had gone away with him to Crawfordsville; there was every reason for their glad optimism to see a long vacation before them.
