used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
awaitingverbUS /əˈweɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “await” — look forward to the probable occurrence of
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
bellows-tongued
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
CANOESnounUS /kəˈnuːz/
plural of “canoe” — small and light boat; pointed at both ends; propelled with a paddle
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
eagernessnounUS /ˈiːɡərnəs/
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
echoedverbUS /ˈekoʊd/
past form of “echo” — to say again or imitate
From this reading "The funeral canoes?" she echoed, wonderingly.
Ellen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
accept an excuse for
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
fireplacenounUS /ˈfaɪərpleɪs/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
FUNERALnounUS /ˈfjuːnərəl/
a ceremony at which a dead person is buried or cremated
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
hootch-maker
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
KayaknounUS /ˈkaɪæk/
a small canoe consisting of a light frame made watertight with animal skins; used by Eskimos
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
laceverbUS /leɪs/
spin, wind, or twist together
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
lacesnounUS /ˈleɪsəz/
plural of “lace” — a cord that is drawn through eyelets or around hooks in order to draw together two edges (as of a shoe or garment)
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "Yas, Lady.
leathernounUS /ˈleðər/
an animal skin made smooth and flexible by removing the hair and then tanning
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
staying power
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
neglectedadjectiveUS /nəˈɡlektəd/
disregarded
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
raw-hide
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
serenelyadverbUS /sərˈiːnəli/
in a peacefully serene manner
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "The funeral canoes?" she echoed, wonderingly.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
squirmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
sturdyadjectiveUS /ˈstɜːrdi/
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading Some time during the day he had put on high leather boots but having neglected to lace them, the bellows-tongued tops stood away from his sturdy legs and the raw-hide laces squirmed about his feet like live things.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE FUNERAL CANOES Ellen glanced up at the old hootch-maker sitting serenely on the other side of the fireplace.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Kayak Bill turned to her with a sort of slow eagerness, as if he had been awaiting an excuse to look at her.
wonderinglyadverb
in a curious and questioning manner
From this reading "The funeral canoes?" she echoed, wonderingly.
Yas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Yas, Lady.
