used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
attachmentnounUS /əˈtætʃmənt/
a feeling of affection for a person or an institution
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading I insisted that some of them had been dug away.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I insisted that some of them had been dug away.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
brooknounUS /brʊk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
closesnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪz/
plural of “close” — the temporal end; the concluding time
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
depotnounUS /ˈdiːpoʊ/
station where transport vehicles load or unload passengers or goods
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
diminishedadjectiveUS /dɪˈmɪnɪʃt/
impaired by diminution
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
driedadjectiveUS /draɪd/
not still wet
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
dugnounUS /dʌɡ/
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading I insisted that some of them had been dug away.
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
opinion or judgment
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
where you live at a particular time
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
homesteadnounUS /ˈhoʊmsted/
the home and adjacent grounds occupied by a family
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
infancynounUS /ˈɪnfənsi/
the early stage of growth or development
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
past form of “insist” — be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge
From this reading I insisted that some of them had been dug away.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
nurturedverbUS /ˈnɜːrtʃərd/
past form of “nurture” — help develop, help grow
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I insisted that some of them had been dug away.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
small or little relative to something else
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading I insisted that some of them had been dug away.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
tenderlyadverbUS /ˈtendərli/
with tenderness; in a tender manner
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I insisted that some of them had been dug away.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I insisted that some of them had been dug away.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
in or at the place that
From this reading There, before me, was the old homestead, the spot where my heart first learned attachment; where my mind had first opened its eyes; where a mother had tenderly nurtured me, from earliest infancy.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading And the brook, too--why, it was almost dried up; and the hills, how they had diminished in size!
the words that are spoken
From this reading Now, kind friends, a few farewell words, and my story closes.
but in spite of that
From this reading On my ride from the depot home, I passed the old, familiar trees; yet, thought I, they have certainly grown smaller.
