used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
any thing at all
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
CHAUCERnounUS /ˈtʃɔːsər/
English poet remembered as author of the Canterbury Tales (1340-1400)
From this reading CHAUCER.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
divisible by two
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
Geoffrey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
creative writing of recognized artistic value
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
verbal abuse; a crude substitute for argument
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
prosenounUS /proʊz/
ordinary writing as distinguished from verse
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
prosodynounUS /ˈprɑːsədi/
the patterns of stress and intonation in a language
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
quotationsnounUS /kwoʊˈteɪʃənz/
plural of “quotation” — a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
only a very short time before
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
ShakespearenounUS /ˈʃeɪkspiːr/
English poet and dramatist considered one of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
specialistsnounUS /ˈspeʃələsts/
plural of “specialist” — an expert who is devoted to one occupation or branch of learning
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
not in physical motion
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest
From this reading A few of his lines are part of the common stock of familiar quotations.
studiesnounUS /ˈstʌdiz/
plural of “study” — a detailed critical inspection
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
under normal conditions
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
literature in metrical form
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Chaucer is the earliest English poet who is still read for human pleasure, as well as by specialists in the studies of literature, language, and prosody.
which person or people
From this reading About The Morning Star of Song who made His music heard below, about Geoffrey Chaucer, we know more than we do of Shakespeare.
writersnounUS /ˈraɪtərz/
plural of “writer” — writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading Hitherto we have known scarcely anything about the lives, and usually have not even known the names, of the writers in English verse and prose.
