used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
AboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
abundancenounUS /əˈbʌndəns/
the property of a more than adequate quantity or supply
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
apprehendedadjectiveUS /ˌæprɪˈhendɪd/
fully understood or grasped
From this reading She was apprehended, tried, and hanged, because she made herself into a creature like a black pole-cat, and went and sucked the farmers' sows.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
for the reason that
From this reading She was apprehended, tried, and hanged, because she made herself into a creature like a black pole-cat, and went and sucked the farmers' sows.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading They caught the wench and searched her, and, sure enough, found her wounded as the man said he had wounded the thing sucking his sow.
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
a person who operates a farm
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
farmersnounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/
plural of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm
From this reading She was apprehended, tried, and hanged, because she made herself into a creature like a black pole-cat, and went and sucked the farmers' sows.
set up or found
From this reading They caught the wench and searched her, and, sure enough, found her wounded as the man said he had wounded the thing sucking his sow.
four-footedadjective
having four feet
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
hangedverbUS /hæŋd/
past form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading She was apprehended, tried, and hanged, because she made herself into a creature like a black pole-cat, and went and sucked the farmers' sows.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She was apprehended, tried, and hanged, because she made herself into a creature like a black pole-cat, and went and sucked the farmers' sows.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
leanverbUS /liːn/
to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
litternounUS /ˈlɪtər/
the offspring at one birth of a multiparous mammal
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
mightilyadverbUS /ˈmaɪtəli/
powerfully or vigorously
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
very unhappy; full of misery
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
nailedverbUS /neɪld/
past form of “nail” — attach something somewhere by means of nails
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
neighboursnounUS /ˈneɪbərz/
plural of “neighbour” — a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
not any; not one
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
and nothing more
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
piglings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
pigsnounUS /pɪɡz/
plural of “pig” — domestic swine
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
pitchforknounUS /ˈpɪtʃfɔːrk/
a long-handled hand tool with sharp widely spaced prongs for lifting and pitching hay
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
Pole-Cat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
precisely, exactly
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
robbedverbUS /rɑːbd/
inflected form of “rob” — take something away by force or without the consent of the owner
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
Identical; not different.
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
searchedverbUS /sɜːrtʃt/
past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading They caught the wench and searched her, and, sure enough, found her wounded as the man said he had wounded the thing sucking his sow.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
sowverbUS /saʊ/
place (seeds) in or on the ground for future growth
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
sowsnounUS /soʊz/
plural of “sow” — an adult female hog
From this reading She was apprehended, tried, and hanged, because she made herself into a creature like a black pole-cat, and went and sucked the farmers' sows.
having a supporting base
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
struggledverbUS /ˈstrʌɡəld/
past form of “struggle” — make a strenuous or labored effort
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
suckedverbUS /sʌkt/
past form of “suck” — draw into the mouth by creating a practical vacuum in the mouth
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
suckingnounUS /ˈsʌkɪŋ/
the act of sucking
From this reading They caught the wench and searched her, and, sure enough, found her wounded as the man said he had wounded the thing sucking his sow.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
Tewkesburynoun
the final battle of the War of the Roses in 1471 in which Edward IV defeated the Lancastrians
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
thighnounUS /θaɪ/
the part of the leg between the hip and the knee
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
a special situation
From this reading They caught the wench and searched her, and, sure enough, found her wounded as the man said he had wounded the thing sucking his sow.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading She was apprehended, tried, and hanged, because she made herself into a creature like a black pole-cat, and went and sucked the farmers' sows.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
wenchnounUS /wentʃ/
informal terms for a (young) woman
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
at the time that
From this reading When he asked some neighbours, standing near, what they had seen, they said they had only seen a wench go by, with blood falling from her as she went.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He concluded that something which had no right to it came and robbed his piglings of their milk; so he watched; and sure enough a "black four-footed Creature like a Pole-Cat" came and beat away the pigs and sucked the sow; but the farmer got a pitchfork and ran it into the thigh of the pole-cat, which struggled so mightily that, though it was nailed to the ground, it got away and made off.
in the company of; together with
From this reading About the same time a Tewkesbury man had a sow and a litter of pigs: the sow with abundance of milk, but the pigs lean and miserable.
people who are wounded
From this reading They caught the wench and searched her, and, sure enough, found her wounded as the man said he had wounded the thing sucking his sow.
