1862
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading London, 1862.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
DedicatedadjectiveUS /ˈdedəkeɪtəd/
devoted to a cause or ideal or purpose
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
DedicationnounUS /ˌdedəˈkeɪʃən/
complete and wholehearted fidelity
From this reading Original Dedication.
Derry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
King of England and Ireland in 1936; his marriage to Wallis Warfield Simpson created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication (1894-1972)
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
your parents
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
the sound of laughing
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
LEARnounUS /lɪr/
British artist and writer of nonsense verse (1812-1888)
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading London, 1862.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
held dear
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
preceding all others in time or being as first made or performed
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
originallyadverbUS /ərˈɪdʒənəli/
in an original manner
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
plural of “parent” — a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
express a supposition
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
in or at that place or location
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
VersesnounUS /ˈvɜːrsəz/
plural of “verse” — literature in metrical form
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents.) Is Dedicated by the Author, EDWARD LEAR.
which person or people
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With All the Original Pictures and Verses There was an Old Derry down Derry, who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, and with laughter they shook At the fun of that Derry down Derry.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose That my nose is too long, you are certainly wrong!"
