adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
attachmentsnounUS /əˈtætʃmənts/
plural of “attachment” — a feeling of affection for a person or an institution
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
blowverbUS /bloʊ/
exhale hard
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
budnounUS /bʌd/
a partially opened flower
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
carenounUS /ker/
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
changeverbUS /tʃeɪndʒ/
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
comesnounUS /kʌmz/
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
floatverbUS /floʊt/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
follynounUS /ˈfɑːli/
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
lednounUS /led/
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
lifenounUS /laɪf/
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
life'snounUS /laɪfs/
possessive form of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
LightlyadverbUS /ˈlaɪtli/
without good reason
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
LittleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
localadjectiveUS /ˈloʊkəl/
relating to or applicable to or concerned with the administration of a city or town or district rather than a larger area
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
MarynounUS /ˈmeri/
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
melancholynounUS /ˈmelənkɑːli/
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
notenounUS /noʊt/
a brief written record
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
OhnounUS /oʊ/
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
PastnounUS /pæst/
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Poetry Past and Present.
pathsnounUS /pæðz/
plural of “path” — a course of conduct
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
pleasantadjectiveUS /ˈplezənt/
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
PoetrynounUS /ˈpoʊətri/
literature in metrical form
From this reading Poetry Past and Present.
Ponsonby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
PresentverbUS /ˈprezənt/
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Poetry Past and Present.
seedsnounUS /siːdz/
plural of “seed” — a small hard fruit
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
soarsnounUS /sɔːrz/
plural of “soar” — the act of rising upward into the air
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
sownadjectiveUS /soʊn/
sprinkled with seed
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
strewverbUS /struː/
spread by scattering ("straw" is archaic)
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
strongadjectiveUS /strɔːŋ/
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
ThenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
THISTLE-DOWN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THISTLE-DOWN.
thistlesnounUS /ˈθɪsəlz/
plural of “thistle” — any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
tisnounUS /tɪz/
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
wanderingadjectiveUS /ˈwɑːndərɪŋ/
migratory
From this reading Mary Ponsonby had led a life of change and wandering that had given her few strong local attachments.
WatchverbUS /wɑːtʃ/
look attentively
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
wepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Lightly soars the thistle-down, Lightly does it float--, Lightly seeds of care are sown, Little do we note.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading Watch life's thistles bud and blow, Oh, 'tis pleasant folly; But when all life's paths they strew, Then comes melancholy.
