used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
accusednounUS /əˈkjuːzd/
a defendant in a criminal proceeding
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
aislenounUS /aɪl/
a long narrow passage (as in a cave or woods)
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
react verbally
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading The poor baby gasped for breath.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
BeadlenounUS /ˈbiːdəl/
a minor parish official who serves a ceremonial function
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
with bitterness; in a resentful manner
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading The poor baby gasped for breath.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
a young person of either sex
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
clingingverbUS /ˈklɪŋɪŋ/
-ing form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
put on clothes
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The poor baby gasped for breath.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
past form of “gasp” — breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
From this reading The poor baby gasped for breath.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading His face grew rigid, his lips purple.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
inflected form of “hide” — prevent from being seen or discovered
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
immediately past
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
staying power
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading His face grew rigid, his lips purple.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
peakedadjectiveUS /piːkt/
somewhat ill or prone to illness
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
a raised horizontal surface
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading The poor baby gasped for breath.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading His face grew rigid, his lips purple.
rigidadjectiveUS /ˈrɪdʒəd/
incapable of or resistant to bending
From this reading His face grew rigid, his lips purple.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
skirtsnounUS /skɜːrts/
plural of “skirt” — cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
that is looked for
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/
a request to be present
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
tottered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
wanadjectiveUS /wɑːn/
(of light) lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His thin little legs tottered under him; his face was peaked and wan, and he hid it in his mother’s dress.
inflected form of “weep” — shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
at the time that
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
in or at the place that
From this reading When the Beadle sought to lift him, he wept bitterly, and had to be taken by force, and placed upon the platform where the accused was seated.
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading The Last Witness In answer to these summons, a child came slowly up the aisle, clinging to his mother’s skirts.
