used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ‘What sort of a riddle is it?’ she asked.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading ‘What sort of a riddle is it?’ she asked.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
DragonnounUS /ˈdræɡən/
a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
destroyed or killed
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
grandmothernounUS /ˈɡrændmʌðər/
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
expect, believe, or suppose
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ‘What sort of a riddle is it?’ she asked.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading ‘What sort of a riddle is it?’ she asked.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ‘What sort of a riddle is it?’ she asked.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
and nothing more
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
ribnounUS /rɪb/
support resembling the rib of an animal
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
riddleverbUS /ˈrɪdəl/
pierce with many holes
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
roastverbUS /roʊst/
cook with dry heat, usually in an oven
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
scornfullyadverb
without respect; in a disdainful manner
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
sea-cat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘What sort of a riddle is it?’ she asked.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading ‘What sort of a riddle is it?’ she asked.
spoonnounUS /spuːn/
a piece of cutlery with a shallow bowl-shaped container and a handle; used to stir or serve or take up food
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
express in words
From this reading ‘I will tell you this.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading ‘I will tell you this.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
whalenounUS /weɪl/
a very large person; impressive in size or qualities
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
used to ask for information about something
From this reading ‘What sort of a riddle is it?’ she asked.
at the time that
From this reading When the Dragon had gone to bed, his old grandmother pulled up the stone and let out the soldier.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading ‘They are mine,’ answered the Dragon scornfully, ‘for I shall only give them one riddle which they will never be able to guess.’
wineglassnoun
a glass that has a stem and in which wine is served
From this reading In the North Sea lies a dead sea-cat--that shall be their roast meat; and the rib of a whale--that shall be their silver spoon; and the hollow foot of a dead horse--that shall be their wineglass.’
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘I will tell you this.
