used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
Artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
barrein
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
see with attention
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
blackbirdsnounUS /ˈblækbərdz/
plural of “blackbird” — any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But humanity grumbled with its wonted ingratitude.
CalendarnounUS /ˈkæləndər/
a system of timekeeping that defines the beginning and length and divisions of the year
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
dominantadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːmənənt/
exercising influence or control
From this reading I PITTER-PATTER was the dominant note of the rest of the year.
driedadjectiveUS /draɪd/
not still wet
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
grumbledverbUS /ˈɡrʌmbəld/
past form of “grumble” — show one's unhappiness or critical attitude
From this reading But humanity grumbled with its wonted ingratitude.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
hathauxiliary verbUS /hæθ/
an old form of “has”
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
the quality of being humane
From this reading But humanity grumbled with its wonted ingratitude.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I PITTER-PATTER was the dominant note of the rest of the year.
ingratitudenoun
a lack of gratitude
From this reading But humanity grumbled with its wonted ingratitude.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading But humanity grumbled with its wonted ingratitude.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
myrrhour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
a brief written record
From this reading I PITTER-PATTER was the dominant note of the rest of the year.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I PITTER-PATTER was the dominant note of the rest of the year.
and nothing more
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
PITTER-PATTERverb
rain gently
From this reading I PITTER-PATTER was the dominant note of the rest of the year.
plightnounUS /plaɪt/
a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
the act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading I PITTER-PATTER was the dominant note of the rest of the year.
roadsnounUS /roʊdz/
a partly sheltered anchorage
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
Shepheards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
sparklingadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːrklɪŋ/
shining with brilliant points of light like stars
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
SPENSERnounUS /ˈspensər/
English poet who wrote an allegorical romance celebrating Elizabeth I in the Spenserian stanza (1552-1599)
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
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 WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
thanksgivingnounUS /ˌθæŋksˈɡɪvɪŋ/
fourth Thursday in November in the United States; second Monday in October in Canada; commemorates a feast held in 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
an old word for “you”, as the subject, speaking to one person
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I PITTER-PATTER was the dominant note of the rest of the year.
wastedadjectiveUS /ˈweɪstɪd/
serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
whistledverbUS /ˈwɪsəld/
past form of “whistle” — make whistling sounds
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
whome
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
windyadjectiveUS /ˈwɪndi/
abounding in or exposed to the wind or breezes
From this reading There were warm and windy days, and cold and sparkling days, but the roads never quite dried up.
WINTER'SnounUS /ˈwɪntərz/
possessive form of “winter” — the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
wintersnounUS /ˈwɪntərz/
plural of “winter” — the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
in the company of; together with
From this reading But humanity grumbled with its wonted ingratitude.
wontedadjective
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading But humanity grumbled with its wonted ingratitude.
wormsnounUS /wɜːrmz/
plural of “worm” — any of numerous relatively small elongated soft-bodied animals especially of the phyla Annelida and Chaetognatha and Nematoda and Nemertea and Platyhelminthes; also many insect larvae
From this reading The prayer for rain had been only too successful, and the blackbirds whistled their thanksgiving over their worms.
intense anger (usually on an epic scale)
From this reading WINTER’S TALE _Thou barrein ground, whome winters wrath hath wasted,_ _Art made a myrrhour to behold my plight._ SPENSER, “The Shepheards Calendar.”
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading I PITTER-PATTER was the dominant note of the rest of the year.
