Chapter I

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

in the past

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

(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 Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

Having no one else present.

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

noisy confusion and turbulence

From this reading Their names were Bluster, Careful and Quest.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

exercising caution or showing care or attention

From this reading Their names were Bluster, Careful and Quest.

divisible by two

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

(of animals) fully developed

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

possessive form of “grandfather” — the father of your father or mother

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

plural of “grandson” — a male grandchild

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

plural of “lad” — a boy or man

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

the location of something surrounded by other things

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument

From this reading Their names were Bluster, Careful and Quest.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

on one occasion

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria

From this reading Their names were Bluster, Careful and Quest.

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

except for; apart from

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

lift onto one's shoulders

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

comparative of “tall” — great in vertical dimension; high in stature

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

in or at that place or location

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading But now they were full-grown lads, so tall that they came up to their grandfather’s shoulder, and even taller.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

precisely as stated

From this reading ONCE upon a time very long ago there lived an old man in a glade in the midst of an ancient forest.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

at the time that

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.

in the company of; together with

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

aware or knowing

From this reading His name was Witting, and he lived there with his three grandsons.

everything that exists anywhere

From this reading Now this old man was all alone in the world save for these three grandsons, and he had been father and mother to them from the time when they were quite little.