used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
(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 THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
any person at all
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
brought into existence
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
coffinsnounUS /ˈkɔːfɪnz/
plural of “coffin” — box in which a corpse is buried or cremated
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
a female human offspring
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
inheritverbUS /ˌɪnˈherət/
obtain from someone after their death
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
a domain in which something is dominant
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
being perceived or observed
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
on one occasion
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
pillownounUS /ˈpɪloʊ/
a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
prayingverbUS /ˈpreɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “pray” — address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
richesnounUS /ˈrɪtʃəz/
an abundance of material possessions and resources
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
shavingsnounUS /ˈʃeɪvɪŋz/
plural of “shaving” — the act of removing hair with a razor
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
a male human offspring
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
plural of “son” — a male human offspring
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
express in speech
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He had them locked up in a private room, the key of which he gave to the queen, praying her not to speak of it to anyone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
inflected form of “weep” — shed tears because of sadness, rage, or pain
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
which person or people
From this reading THE TWELVE BROTHERS There were once a king and queen who had twelve children--all boys.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Now, one day the king told his wife that if a daughter should be born, all the sons must die--that their sister alone might inherit his kingdom and riches.
in the company of; together with
From this reading So the king had twelve coffins made, which were filled with shavings, and in each was the little pillow for the dead.
youngestadjectiveUS /ˈjʌŋɡəst/
superlative of “young” — (used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading But the poor mother was so unhappy that she wept for a whole day, and looked so sad that her youngest son noticed it.
