used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
(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 "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading These are the Purple Martin; Barn Swallow; Tree Swallow; and Bank Swallow.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading These are the Purple Martin; Barn Swallow; Tree Swallow; and Bank Swallow.
BarnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
beltnounUS /belt/
endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
cedarnounUS /ˈsiːdər/
any of numerous trees of the family Cupressaceae that resemble cedars
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
without stop or interruption
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
cousinsnounUS /ˈkʌzənz/
plural of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
a licensed medical practitioner
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
a social unit living together
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
flocknounUS /flɑːk/
a church congregation guided by a pastor
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
moving swiftly
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)
From this reading These are the Purple Martin; Barn Swallow; Tree Swallow; and Bank Swallow.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
the local environment
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
politeadjectiveUS /pəˈlaɪt/
showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading These are the Purple Martin; Barn Swallow; Tree Swallow; and Bank Swallow.
RapnounUS /ræp/
a reproach for some lapse or misdeed
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
speciesnounUS /ˈspiːʃiz/
(biology) taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
not in physical motion
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
SwallowverbUS /ˈswɑːloʊ/
pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
SWALLOWSnounUS /ˈswɑːloʊz/
plural of “swallow” — a small amount of liquid food
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
express in words
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These are the Purple Martin; Barn Swallow; Tree Swallow; and Bank Swallow.
plural of “think” — an instance of deliberate thinking
From this reading "He thinks there are a great many cousins in the Swallow family, but can't tell them apart.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading These are the Purple Martin; Barn Swallow; Tree Swallow; and Bank Swallow.
UnitedadjectiveUS /juːˈnaɪtɪd/
characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
precisely as stated
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading "As a family it is easy to name the Swallows from their way of flying.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE SWALLOWS "'Rap has been watching the Barn Swallows," continued the Doctor, after the children had been over to the cedar belt to see if the flock of polite birds were there still.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "There are ten species of North American Swallows, four of which are very familiar birds in all parts of the United States.
