used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
anew
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
(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 Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
Bromusnoun
a genus of grasses of the family Gramineae
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
burnet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
burrnounUS /bɜːr/
seed vessel having hooks or prickles
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
having or capable of producing colors
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
the organ of sight
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
Festucanoun
a genus of tufted perennial grasses of the family Gramineae
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
grassesnounUS /ˈɡræsəz/
plural of “grass” — narrow-leaved green herbage: grown as lawns; used as pasture for grazing animals; cut and dried as hay
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
Hordeumnoun
annual to perennial grasses of temperate northern hemisphere and South America: barley
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
jotnounUS /dʒɑːt/
a brief (and hurriedly handwritten) note
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
JULYnounUS /ˌdʒuːˈlaɪ/
the month following June and preceding August
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
a metric unit of capacity, formerly defined as the volume of one kilogram of pure water under standard conditions; now equal to 1,000 cubic centimeters (or approximately 1.75 pints)
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
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 _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
loosenedadjectiveUS /ˈluːsənd/
straightened out
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
loveliest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
netnounUS /net/
a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
Poanoun
chiefly perennial grasses of cool temperate regions
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
RnounUS /ɑːr/
a unit of radiation exposure; the dose of ionizing radiation that will produce 1 electrostatic unit of electricity in 1 cc of dry air
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
sidewaysadverbUS /ˈsaɪdweɪz/
with one side forward or to the front
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
spotsnounUS /spɑːts/
spots before the eyes caused by opaque cell fragments in the vitreous humor and lens
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
StevensonnounUS /ˈstiːvənsən/
Scottish author (1850-1894)
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
talleradjectiveUS /ˈtɔːlər/
comparative of “tall” — great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Every now and then, as he flew over the trees of grass, a taller one than common stopped him, and there he clung, and then the eye had time to see the scarlet spots--the loveliest colour--on his wings.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading _R. L. Stevenson._ THE JULY GRASS A July fly went sideways over the long grass.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
at the time that
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
whirlverbUS /wɜːrl/
turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading Names were nothing to him; all he had to do was to whirl his scarlet spots about in the brilliant sun, rest when he liked, and go on again.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wind swung the burnet and loosened his hold, and away he went again over the grasses, and not one jot did he care if they were _Poa_ or _Festuca_, or _Bromus_ or _Hordeum_, or any other name.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
in the company of; together with
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading His wings made a burr about him like a net, beating so fast they wrapped him round with a cloud.
