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The Bishop and the Boogerman
The Bishop and the Boogerman

Chapter IV

Cover illustration for The Bishop and the Boogerman
Context Illustration Reading 1/56 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?
--_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.
You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.
For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.
He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

The Bishop and the Boogerman

Chapter IV

Reading 1/56 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?
Line 2
--_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.
Line 3
You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.
Line 4
For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.
Line 5
He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Body noun US /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.”

Born noun US /born/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “--_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.”

Cell noun US /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading “And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?”

Comrades noun US /ˈkɑːmrædz/

people who share difficult work or danger, especially soldiers

From this reading “And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?”

Could modal verb US /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading “For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.”

Good noun US /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?”

Have auxiliary verb US /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading “--_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “--_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.”

Open verb US /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading “You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.”

Seemed noun US /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.”

Shall modal verb US /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading “And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?”

Since preposition US /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading “--_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.”

Thought noun US /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.”

Would modal verb US /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading “You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.”

All words in this reading · 95

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

AdeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

afterward

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

bodynounUS /body/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

bornnounUS /born/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

brief

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

butconjunctionUS /bʌt/

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

cellnounUS /sel/

A small stone room in a prison where an inmate is locked behind iron bars.

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

comradesnounUS /ˈkɑːmrædz/

people who share difficult work or danger, especially soldiers

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

countenance

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

day

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

dungeon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

eyes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

feeble

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

feet

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

fell

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

felt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

fleeting

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

gallows

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

gave

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

goodnounUS /good/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

green

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

grunt

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

hat

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

hepronounUS /hiː/

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

heard

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

himpronounUS /hɪm/

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

home

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

itpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

Jonas

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

Jonas's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

jump

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

keep

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

keeping

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

Ku-Klux

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

Lynching

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

moment

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

Mr

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

much

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

NevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

now

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

off

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

old

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

onprepositionUS /ɑːn/

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/

To move from a closed position.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

ousted

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

out

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

refused

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

said

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

Sanders

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

scowl

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

scowled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

seemednounUS /seemed/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

seen

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

shallmodal verbUS /ʃæl/

used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/

from a time in the past until now

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

smile

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

socket

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

Songs

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

suchdeterminerUS /sʌtʃ/

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

then

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

thoughtnounUS /thought/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

tree

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

tried

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

Varner's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

very

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.

whatpronounUS /wʌt/

used to ask for information about something

From this reading And now, good comrades, what shall it be, A dungeon cell or a gallows tree?

whole

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

wide

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

wrenched

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading For one brief and fleeting moment, old Jonas's whole body seemed to be wrenched out of socket, as Mr. Sanders said afterward; his hat fell off, and it was as much as he could do to keep his feet.

wrinkled

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading He scowled, and then he tried to smile, but the scowl felt very much at home on his wrinkled countenance, and refused to be ousted by a feeble smile.

year

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading You would have thought the Ku-Klux had him, for this was the year Eighteen-Hundred-and-under-the-Bushes, with old Raw-Head-and-Bloody-Bones keeping his green eyes wide open.

youpronounUS /juː/

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading --_Varner's Lynching Songs._ Never, since the day you were born, have you seen such a jump, or heard such a grunt as old Jonas gave.