used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading BEFORE THE QUEEN.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading London had never looked so bright or so gay.
buddingnounUS /ˈbʌdɪŋ/
reproduction of some unicellular organisms (such as yeasts) by growth and specialization followed by the separation by constriction of a part of the parent
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
butterfliesnounUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪz/
plural of “butterfly” — diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
carnivalnounUS /ˈkɑːrnəvəl/
a festival marked by merrymaking and processions
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
cooverbUS /kuː/
speak softly or lovingly
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
coquettenoun
a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
cuckoonounUS /ˈkʌkuː/
a man who is a stupid incompetent fool
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
represented in words especially with sharpness and detail
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
foretastenounUS /fɔːrˈteɪst/
an early limited awareness of something yet to occur
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading London had never looked so bright or so gay.
gloriesnounUS /ˈɡlɔːriz/
plural of “glory” — a state of high honor
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading London had never looked so bright or so gay.
hawthornnounUS /ˈhɔːθɔːrn/
a spring-flowering shrub or small tree of the genus Crataegus
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
heaven'snounUS /ˈhevənz/
possessive form of “heaven” — any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
honeynounUS /ˈhʌni/
a sweet yellow liquid produced by bees
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading London had never looked so bright or so gay.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading London had never looked so bright or so gay.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
meadnounUS /miːd/
United States anthropologist noted for her claims about adolescence and sexual behavior in Polynesian cultures (1901-1978)
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/
plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading London had never looked so bright or so gay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading London had never looked so bright or so gay.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
perfumenounUS /pərˈfjuːm/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
pigeonsnounUS /ˈpɪdʒənz/
plural of “pigeon” — wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
poetsnounUS /ˈpoʊəts/
plural of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading BEFORE THE QUEEN.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
shineverbUS /ʃaɪn/
be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading London had never looked so bright or so gay.
in the near future
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
the season of growth
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
the rays of the sun
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BEFORE THE QUEEN.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
precisely as stated
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
violetsnounUS /ˈvaɪələts/
plural of “violet” — any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
at the time that
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A flash of heaven's own sunshine, a murmur of heaven's own music, a foretaste of the golden glories of summer which were soon to shine over the land.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading A May day, when, in the green heart of England, the hawthorn was budding, the perfume of violets filled the air, the cuckoo remained lord of the meadows, the wood pigeons began to coo, the butterflies to coquette with sweet spring flowers--a very carnival of nature.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading Such a May day! like one of those that the poets of old described when they wrote of mead and honey.
