used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
(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 ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When he had finished, he flew away.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The bird settled on a lime-tree in front of the mill and sang:
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
a series of things depending on each other as if linked together
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
clackverbUS /klæk/
make a rattling sound
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
clawnounUS /klɔː/
sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
ClickverbUS /klɪk/
move or strike with a noise
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
being one more than seven
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading When he had finished, he flew away.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading When he had finished, he flew away.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The bird settled on a lime-tree in front of the mill and sang:
destroyed or killed
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
grievedverbUS /ɡriːvd/
past form of “grieve” — feel grief
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
hacknounUS /hæk/
one who works hard at boring tasks
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When he had finished, he flew away.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he had finished, he flew away.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
hewingverbUS /ˈhjuːɪŋ/
-ing form of “hew” — make or shape as with an axe
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
HicknounUS /hɪk/
a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
juniper-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
kerchiefnounUS /ˈkɜːrtʃəf/
a square scarf that is folded into a triangle and worn over the head or about the neck
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
set down according to a plan
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
lime-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The bird settled on a lime-tree in front of the mill and sang:
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
held dear
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
the force of workers available
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
millverbUS /mɪl/
move about in a confused manner
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
miller'snounUS /ˈmɪlərz/
possessive form of “miller” — United States bandleader of a popular big band (1909-1944)
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The bird settled on a lime-tree in front of the mill and sang:
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
and nothing more
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
precisely, exactly
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng
From this reading The bird settled on a lime-tree in front of the mill and sang:
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading The bird settled on a lime-tree in front of the mill and sang:
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
a particular situation
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
a male human offspring
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
in or at that place or location
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
UnderneathprepositionUS /ˌʌndərˈniːθ/
directly under, often hidden by what is above
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He had the chain in his right claw and the shoes in his left, and he flew right away to a mill, and the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Inside the mill were twenty of the miller’s men hewing a stone, and as they went ‘Hick hack, hick hack, hick hack,’ the mill went ‘Click clack, click clack, click clack.’
at the time that
From this reading When he had finished, he flew away.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading ‘My mother killed her little son; then one of the men left off, My father grieved when I was gone; two more men left off and listened, My sister loved me best of all; then four more left off, She laid her kerchief over me, And took my bones that they might lie now there were only eight at work, Underneath And now only five, the juniper-tree.