used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
AlasexclamationUS /əˈlæs/
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
(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 "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And yet you wonder where the years have fled.
spiritual being attendant upon God
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
(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 "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
showing who or what does the action
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
curlsnounUS /kɜːrlz/
plural of “curl” — a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
dearly loved
From this reading Poor little silken skein, so dear to you.
earthward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
inflected form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading And yet you wonder where the years have fled.
flossnounUS /flɑːs/
a soft loosely twisted thread used in embroidery
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
the act of acquiring something
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
halonounUS /ˈheɪloʊ/
an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
He's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
HOUSTONnounUS /ˈhjuːstən/
the largest city in Texas; located in southeastern Texas near the Gulf of Mexico; site of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
MARGARET
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Poor little silken skein, so dear to you.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
reluctantadjectiveUS /rɪˈlʌktənt/
unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
cut with a saw
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
silkenadjectiveUS /ˈsɪlkən/
having a smooth, gleaming surface reflecting light
From this reading Poor little silken skein, so dear to you.
skeinnounUS /skeɪn/
coils of worsted yarn
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Poor little silken skein, so dear to you.
having a supporting base
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
not in physical motion
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
express in words
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Poor little silken skein, so dear to you.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
moved around an axis or center
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
Twere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
unheededadjectiveUS /ənˈhiːdɪd/
disregarded
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
unknowingnounUS /ənˈnoʊɪŋ/
ignorance (especially of orthodox beliefs)
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
in or at the place that
From this reading And yet you wonder where the years have fled.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
wiseradjectiveUS /ˈwaɪzər/
comparative of “wise” — having or prompted by wisdom or discernment
From this reading "'Twere better short," the wiser father said, "He's getting older now."--Alas, how true!
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading And yet you wonder where the years have fled.
yearnedverbUS /jɜːrnd/
past form of “yearn” — desire strongly or persistently
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
a late time of life
From this reading And yet you wonder where the years have fled.
but in spite of that
From this reading And yet you wonder where the years have fled.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading By MARGARET HOUSTON A little skein of tangled floss they lie, (You always said they should have been a girl's.) The tears will come--you cannot quite tell why-- They fall unheeded on that mass--his curls.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "'Twere better short----" the while your fond heart yearned To keep them still, reluctant standing by, You saw your little angel, earthward turned, Yet all unknowing, lay his halo by.
