used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
move towards
From this reading And it is said that they saw other stars approach it, and at length surround it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And it is said that they saw other stars approach it, and at length surround it.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
brightlyadverbUS /ˈbraɪtli/
with brightness
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
earthwards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading And it is said that they saw other stars approach it, and at length surround it.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
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 It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
mid-air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading And it is said that they saw other stars approach it, and at length surround it.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading And it is said that they saw other stars approach it, and at length surround it.
cut with a saw
From this reading And it is said that they saw other stars approach it, and at length surround it.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
shepherdsnounUS /ˈʃepərdz/
plural of “shepherd” — a clergyman who watches over a group of people
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
sparkledverbUS /ˈspɑːrkəld/
past form of “sparkle” — reflect brightly
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
sparksnounUS /spɑːrks/
plural of “spark” — a momentary flash of light
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading And it is said that they saw other stars approach it, and at length surround it.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
surroundverbUS /sərˈaʊnd/
extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle
From this reading And it is said that they saw other stars approach it, and at length surround it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
in or at that place or location
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading A strange star, too; they had never seen its like before.
wakefuladjective
carefully observant or attentive; on the lookout for possible danger
From this reading It is midnight and, wakeful shepherds see a bright star.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It sparkled so brightly that the shepherds' shadows on the plain were long.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
a Caucasian
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And then the new star threw off white sparks, which flew down earthwards and stopped in mid-air; and there were children with white wings and golden hair.
