used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
babbledverbUS /ˈbæbəld/
past form of “babble” — utter meaningless sounds, like a baby, or utter in an incoherent way
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
brooknounUS /brʊk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
unvarying in nature
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
cordialadjectiveUS /ˈkɔːrdʒəl/
diffusing warmth and friendliness
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
a competitor thought likely to win
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
enclose with a fence
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
gaylyadverb
in a joyous manner
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
and nothing more
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
maidsnounUS /meɪdz/
plural of “maid” — a female domestic
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
neighbouringverbUS /ˈneɪbərɪŋ/
-ing form of “neighbour” — live or be located as a neighbor
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
and nothing more
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
perchedverbUS /pɜːrtʃt/
past form of “perch” — sit, as on a branch
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
ribbonnounUS /ˈrɪbən/
any long object resembling a thin line
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
the season of growth
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
very small
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
topmostadjective
at or nearest to the top
From this reading One bright May morning three little maids sat perched on the topmost rail of an old fence down by the brook.
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 The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
plural of “visitor” — someone who visits
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading There was only a ribbon of water there now, though early in the spring the current ran full and strong.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
accept gladly
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
in or at the place that
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading It was very pleasant just at that particular spot, where the tiny stream babbled along gayly in its wide, deep bed.
in the company of; together with
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The trees in the neighbouring woods waved and nodded their heads in cordial welcome to their constant little visitors.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading This was a favourite spot with these little people, for they were well out of sight of the rest of the world.
