Chapter I

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

prince consort of Queen Victoria of England (1819-1861)

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

(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 For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

surrounded by; in the middle of a group

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

a feeling of delight at being entertained

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

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

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

separated or at a distance in place or position or time

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

make a request or demand for something to somebody

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

a declaration that is made emphatically (as if no supporting evidence were necessary)

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

for a short time

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

for the reason that

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

brought into existence

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

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

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

a period of 100 years

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

without stop or interruption

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

the appearance conveyed by a person's face

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

beyond or deviating from the usual or expected

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

dearly loved

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

third-person singular of “deserve” — be worthy or deserving

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

think moodily or anxiously about something

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

an acronym for emissions of light and very low frequency perturbations due to electromagnetic pulse sources

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

the organ of sight

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

activities that are enjoyable or amusing

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

plural of “goblin” — (folklore) a small grotesque supernatural creature that makes trouble for human beings

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

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

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

by accident

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

come to pass

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

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

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

engage in

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

by chance

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

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

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

a particular point in time

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

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

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

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

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

and nothing more

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

American Revolutionary leader and signer of the Declaration of Independence (1731-1814)

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

an instance of questioning

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

perplexed (as if being expected to know something that you do not know)

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

playfully vexing (especially by ridicule)

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

plural of “rhyme” — correspondence in the sounds of two or more lines (especially final sounds)

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

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

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

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

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

used to say what is right, expected, or advisable

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

from a time in the past until now

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

the vital principle or animating force within living things

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

a large dark-red oval organ on the left side of the body between the stomach and the diaphragm; produces cells involved in immune responses

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

United States painter best known for his portraits of George Washington (1755-1828)

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

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

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

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

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Now, some one has said, in a moment of spleen, We cannot make pictures of what we've not seen; But such an assertion deserves only scorn, For the shape of the Gobolink never was born.

at the time that

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

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

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

a late time of life

From this reading For though years have passed since we drifted apart, We're all of us more or less children at heart.

the English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461 to 1485; its emblem was a white rose

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Gobolinks or Shadow-Pictures For Young and Old BY And Ruth McEnery Albert Bigelow Stuart Paine New York The Century Co. TO OLD FRIENDS WITH YOUNG HEARTS AND YOUNG HEARTS GROWING OLD.

plural of “youngster” — a young person of either sex

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.

used when the people spoken to are both doing and receiving the action

From this reading And maybe yourselves and the youngsters 't will please To dwell for an hour with such creatures as these.

a young person (especially a young man or boy)

From this reading Dear Friends of our youth, should you happen to look At the curious things in this curious book, And should you, with quizzical countenance, ask The how and the why of our curious task-- We could truly reply To the query of "why--" To the smile on your lip, and your questioning eye, That the work was begun In a spirit of fun, To amuse when the work of the daylight was done; And continued, because we believed it would be Amusement to such as were weary as we To drift for awhile among goblins and elves, Or haply make shadows and rhymes for themselves.