used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
BasilnounUS /ˈbæzəl/
any of several Old World tropical aromatic annual or perennial herbs of the genus Ocimum
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
be owned by; be in the possession of
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
bettersnounUS /ˈbetərz/
plural of “better” — something superior in quality or condition or effect
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
blackbirdsnounUS /ˈblækbərdz/
plural of “blackbird” — any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
an assertion of a right (as to money or property)
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
Corrie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
curlingnounUS /ˈkɜːrlɪŋ/
a game played on ice in which heavy stones with handles are slid toward a target
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
start firing a weapon
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
go away from a place
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
not any; not one
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
literature in metrical form
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
ringsnounUS /rɪŋz/
gymnastic apparatus consisting of a pair of heavy metal circles (usually covered with leather) suspended by ropes; used for gymnastic exercises
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
express in words
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
spinningnounUS /ˈspɪnɪŋ/
creating thread
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
the season of growth
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
a tendency to express warm and affectionate feeling
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
There's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "I don't lay claim to being a poet," he said; "I leave that to my betters; but they almost seem to me to belong to poetry, these rings of smoke that come and go.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading There's no life like it, Master Basil, say what they will of the pleasures of the city.
wreathsnounUS /riːθs/
plural of “wreath” — flower arrangement consisting of a circular band of foliage or flowers for ornamental purposes
From this reading There was distinct tenderness in Old Corrie's face as he watched the curling wreaths of smoke.
yarnsnounUS /jɑːrnz/
plural of “yarn” — the act of giving an account describing incidents or a course of events
From this reading They bring back old times, and I could fancy we were in the bush, sitting by the camp fire before turning in for the night, spinning yarns, and as happy as blackbirds in spring.
