used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading ‘Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?’ asked the man.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading ‘Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?’ asked the man.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ‘Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?’ asked the man.
blowingnounUS /ˈbloʊɪŋ/
processing that involves blowing a gas
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
a boy or man
From this reading ‘Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?’ asked the man.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
destroyed or killed
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
the act of retaining something
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
nostrilsnounUS /ˈnɑːstrəlz/
plural of “nostril” — either one of the two external openings to the nasal cavity in the nose
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
puffingnounUS /ˈpʌfɪŋ/
blowing tobacco smoke out into the air
From this reading ‘Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?’ asked the man.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
cut with a saw
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
having a supporting base
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
in or at that place or location
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He replied, ‘Two miles from this place are standing seven windmills; see, I am blowing to drive them round.’
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading ‘Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?’ asked the man.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
at the time that
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
windmillsnounUS /ˈwɪndmɪlz/
plural of “windmill” — a mill that is powered by the wind
From this reading The man said, ‘I don’t know what is turning those windmills; there is not the slightest breeze blowing.’
in the company of; together with
From this reading So he walked on with his servants, and when they had gone two miles they saw a man sitting on a tree, holding one of his nostrils and blowing out of the other.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading ‘Oh, go with me,’ said the man; ‘if we four are together we shall easily travel through the wide world.’
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading ‘Fellow, what are you puffing at up there?’ asked the man.
