the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
civilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
earlier in time; previously
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
electricitynounUS /ɪˌlekˈtrɪsəti/
a physical phenomenon associated with stationary or moving electrons and protons
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
endlesslyadverbUS /ˈendləsli/
continuing forever without end
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
GreeksnounUS /ɡriːks/
plural of “greek” — the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
hexameters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
iambics
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
jugglingnounUS /ˈdʒʌɡəlɪŋ/
the act of rearranging things to give a misleading impression
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
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 The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
engage in
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
poetsnounUS /ˈpoʊəts/
plural of “poet” — a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry)
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
RomansnounUS /ˈroʊmənz/
a New Testament book containing an exposition of the doctrines of Saint Paul; written in AD 58
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
ruderadjectiveUS /ˈruːdər/
comparative of “rude” — socially incorrect in behavior
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
the underside of footwear or a golf club
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
express in speech
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
stampingverbUS /ˈstæmpɪŋ/
-ing form of “stamp” — walk heavily
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
syllablesnounUS /ˈsɪləbəlz/
plural of “syllable” — a unit of spoken language larger than a phoneme
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The poet, it must be said, is as old as civilization.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This can now be done by electricity, but the Romans did not know it.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading But it is not my present purpose to speak of the poets of an earlier and ruder time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The Romans, too, knew him--endlessly juggling his syllables together, long and short, short and long, to make hexameters.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Greeks had him with them, stamping out his iambics with the sole of his foot.
