used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
a youthful male person
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
a young person of either sex
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
countedverbUS /ˈkaʊntɪd/
past form of “count” — determine the number or amount of
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
dimlyadverbUS /ˈdɪmli/
in a dim indistinct manner
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
plural of “family” — a social unit living together
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
something acquired without compensation
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
Giles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
HeronnounUS /ˈherən/
Greek mathematician and inventor who devised a way to determine the area of a triangle and who described various mechanical devices (first century)
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
HERONSnounUS /ˈherənz/
plural of “heron” — Greek mathematician and inventor who devised a way to determine the area of a triangle and who described various mechanical devices (first century)
From this reading THE HERONS.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
Isla
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
conformity or harmony
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
immediately past
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
most important element
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
joined in matrimony
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
mostlyadverbUS /ˈmoʊstli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
not any; not one
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
on one occasion
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
ownedadjectiveUS /oʊnd/
having an owner; often used in combination
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
rovingnounUS /ˈroʊvɪŋ/
travelling about without any clear destination
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HERONS.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
except if; if not
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
at the time that
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The Herons had owned the whole island once, but, bit by bit, it had passed away from the name, if not from the blood; they had no gift for keeping, it was said.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A roving people, the Herons mostly died at sea, or, if women, married into families on the main, as we call the shore that on fine days can be dimly seen from the Island of the Wild Rocks.
a late time of life
From this reading THE child Isla might have been twelve years old when her father died.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Giles Heron was the last man of his people, unless you counted the boy, and no one did count him.
