used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
the month following March and preceding May
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
barredadjectiveUS /bɑːrd/
preventing entry or exit or a course of action
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a statute in draft before it becomes law
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
braying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
clusterverbUS /ˈklʌstər/
come together as in a cluster or flock
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a visual attribute of things that results from the light they emit or transmit or reflect
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
curvedadjectiveUS /kɜːrvd/
having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
feathersnounUS /ˈfeðərz/
plural of “feather” — the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
fragrancenounUS /ˈfreɪɡrəns/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
glossyadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːsi/
based on pretense; deceptively pleasing
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
destroyed or killed
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
HardyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdi/
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
not accessible to view
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
the emotion of great happiness
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
larksnounUS /lɑːrks/
plural of “lark” — North American songbirds having a yellow breast
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
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 His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
mesquitenounUS /ˈmeskiːt/
any of several small spiny trees or shrubs of the genus Prosopis having small flowers in axillary cylindrical spikes followed by large pods rich in sugar
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
mimickingverbUS /ˈmɪmɪkɪŋ/
inflected form of “mimic” — imitate (a person or manner), especially for satirical effect
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
mistletoenounUS /ˈmɪsəltoʊ/
American plants closely resembling Old World mistletoe
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
mocking-bird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
not any; not one
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
oriolesnounUS /ˈɔːrioʊlz/
plural of “oriole” — mostly tropical songbird; the male is usually bright orange and black
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
polishes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
preens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
ramada
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
shrillyadverb
in a shrill voice
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
siftingnounUS /ˈsɪftɪŋ/
the act of separating grain from chaff
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
singsverbUS /sɪŋz/
third-person singular of “sing” — deliver by singing
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
sparrowsnounUS /ˈsperoʊz/
plural of “sparrow” — any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insects
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
in or at that place or location
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading His nest is in a great cluster of mistletoe in the mesquite tree behind the house and every morning he polishes his long curved bill against the _ramada_ roof, preens out his glossy feathers, and does honor to the sun.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
untaintedadjectiveUS /ənˈteɪntɪd/
(of reputation) free from blemishes
From this reading April had come, and the grass; the air was untainted; there was no braying by the river--the sheep had gone.
untrampled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
whistlesnounUS /ˈwɪsəlz/
plural of “whistle” — the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading THE END OF IT ALL There is a mocking-bird at Hidden Water that sings the songs of all the birds and whistles for the dog.
whistlingnounUS /ˈwɪslɪŋ/
the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The world had taken on light and color over night, and the breeze, sifting in through the barred window, was sweet with the fragrance of untrampled flowers.
a late time of life
From this reading For two years, off and on, Hardy had heard him, mimicking orioles and larks and sparrows and whistling shrilly for the dog, but now for the first time his heart answered to the wild joy of the bird lover.
