used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
past form of “add” — make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
using the voice; not silently
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
cagenounUS /keɪdʒ/
an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
divisible by two
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
in a gradual manner
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
the father of your father or mother
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
go away from a place
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
nighadjectiveUS /naɪ/
not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
not any; not one
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
many times at short intervals
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
on one occasion
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
by chance
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
seemeth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even now death seemeth to me often not far away.'
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
two times
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading Mary nodded her head gently and said to herself, 'Perhaps I can understand already, better than my grandfather thinks.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading 'No more than a bird would fear to leave its cage and fly, were once the door but open,' the old man answered.
Wouldstmodal verbUS /wʊdst/
an old form of “would”, used with “thou”
From this reading 'Wouldst thou then fear to die, Grandfather?' she added aloud.
a late time of life
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Have I not twice already in my young years been brought nigh to death?
