Chapter I

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

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

fear resulting from the awareness of danger

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

(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 When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

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

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

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

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

towards the shore from the water

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

plural of “beast” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

next to; at the side of

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

a youthful male person

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

comparative of “bright” — emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

events that provide the generative force that is the origin of something

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

an edge tool with a flat steel blade with a cutting edge

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

plural of “chisel” — an edge tool with a flat steel blade with a cutting edge

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

rid of obstructions

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

make a high sound typical of glass

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

an artistic form of nonverbal communication

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

of or taking place in the deeper parts of the sea

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

plural of “editor” — a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

an old word for “before”

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

opinion or judgment

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

mat together and make felt-like

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

a feeling of liking for another person; enjoyment in their company

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

characteristic of or befitting a friend

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

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

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

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

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

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

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

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

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

a small island

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

apprehended with certainty

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

go away from a place

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

of comparatively little physical weight or density

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

found pleasant or attractive; often used as a combining form

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

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

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

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

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

full of life and energy

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

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 They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

roused to anger

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

the force of workers available

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

in a joyous manner

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

full of or showing high-spirited merriment

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

and nothing more

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

above and across; more than

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

participate in games or sport

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

experiencing or manifesting pleasure

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

a publication (such as a book) that is reprinted without changes or editing and offered again for sale

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

the basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

move upward

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

cut with a saw

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

thrown together in a disorderly fashion

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

plural of “seal” — fastener consisting of a resinous composition that is plastic when warm; used for sealing documents and parcels and letters

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

(ethnic slur) offensive term for a Jew

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

reflecting light

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

past form of “shuffle” — walk by dragging one's feet

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

be seated

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

gull-like jaeger of northern seas

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

well-groomed and neatly tailored; especially too well-groomed

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

in the near future

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

shining with brilliant points of light like stars

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

not in physical motion

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

carry out

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

an acknowledgment of appreciation

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

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

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

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

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

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

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

judge or regard; look upon; judge

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

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

From this reading _Thanks are due to the editors of_ RHYTHM, _and_ THE NATION, _for leave to reprint some of these tales_.

one of the digits of the foot

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

having come into contact

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

plural of “tune” — a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

past form of “twinkle” — gleam or glow intermittently

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

an old word for “to”

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

bowed stringed instrument that is the highest member of the violin family; this instrument has four strings and a hollow body and an unfretted fingerboard and is played with a bow

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

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

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

look attentively

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

past form of “watch” — look attentively

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

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

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

at the time that

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

during the time that

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

past form of “whistle” — make whistling sounds

From this reading So, hour on hour, they sat: I think They liked to hear the chisels’ clink: And when the boy sang loud and clear, They scrambled closer in to hear; And if he whistled sweet and shrill, The queer beasts shuffled nearer still: But every sleek and sheeny skin Was mad to hear his violin.

which person or people

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.

in the company of; together with

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading They’d little cause to feel alarm With us, for we were glad to find Some friendliness in that strange sea; Only too pleased to let them be And sit as long as they’d a mind To watch us: for their eyes were kind Like women’s eyes, it seemed to me.

exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity

From this reading When, work all over for the day, He’d take his fiddle down and play His merry tunes beside the sea, Their eyes grew brighter and more bright, And burned and twinkled merrily: And as I watched them one still night, And saw their eager sparkling eyes, I felt those lively seals would rise Some shiny night ere he could know, And dance about him, heel and toe, Unto the fiddle’s heady tune.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading When we were building Skua Light-- The first men who had lived a night Upon that deep-sea Isle-- As soon as chisel touched the stone, The friendly seals would come ashore; And sit and watch us all the while, As though they’d not seen men before; And so, poor beasts, had never known Men had the heart to do them harm.