used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
see with attention
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
blastverbUS /blæst/
make a strident sound
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
dirtnounUS /dɜːrt/
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
dugnounUS /dʌɡ/
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading When it was finished he said:
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
forenounUS /fɔːr/
front part of a vessel or aircraft
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading THE GOLDEN IVY.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
Hilda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
an opening into or through something
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
hurryingadjectiveUS /ˈhɜːriɪŋ/
moving with great haste
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
IVYnounUS /ˈaɪvi/
Old World vine with lobed evergreen leaves and black berrylike fruits
From this reading THE GOLDEN IVY.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
pawsnounUS /pɔːz/
plural of “paw” — a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
skurrying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GOLDEN IVY.
in or at that place or location
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
male cat
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
precisely as stated
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now, or never, it was the time for Hilda and the cat to come back.
at the time that
From this reading When it was finished he said:
whistlingnounUS /ˈwɪslɪŋ/
the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And, sure enough, at this very instant there was a sound like the whistling of a blast of wind through the forest, and a hurrying and a skurrying, and behold! there was Tom the Cat, with Hilda on his back.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Tom said nothing, but he sprang into the circle, and without losing an instant he dug a little hole in the ground with his fore paws, throwing up the dirt in a heap behind him.
