used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
ale-stake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
alewife's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
Angelusnoun
the sound of a bell rung in Roman Catholic churches to announce the time when the Angelus should be recited
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
betwixtprepositionUS /biˈtwɪkst/
an old word for “between”
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
boughnounUS /baʊ/
any of the larger branches of a tree
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
brightenedverbUS /ˈbraɪtənd/
past form of “brighten” — make more cheerful through the use of color
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
Calote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
cobbles
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
Cornhill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
placed crosswise
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
dribbledverbUS /ˈdrɪbəld/
past form of “dribble” — run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
a ceremonial dinner party for many people
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
fresh-broken
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
gabledadjectiveUS /ˈɡeɪbəld/
(of a roof) constructed with a single slope on each side of the ridge supported at the end by a gable or vertical triangular portion of an end wall
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
grainnounUS /ɡreɪn/
a relatively small granular particle of a substance
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
hitheradverbUS /ˈhɪðər/
an old word meaning “to this place”
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
leafnounUS /liːf/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
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 gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
mannanounUS /ˈmænə/
hardened sugary exudation of various trees
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
the world of commercial activity where goods and services are bought and sold
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
not any; not one
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
Paul'snounUS /pɔːlz/
possessive form of “paul” — United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
PigeonsnounUS /ˈpɪdʒənz/
plural of “pigeon” — wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
rungnounUS /rʌŋ/
a crosspiece between the legs of a chair
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
rustled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
Identical; not different.
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
slantwiseadverb
at a slant; moving or directed in a slantwise position or direction
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
the rays of the sun
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
a base found in DNA (but not in RNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
tavernnounUS /ˈtævərn/
a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Rose of Love The bell of Paul's had rung the Angelus an hour past.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The gabled shadows of the houses crossed the street slantwise, and betwixt them long pale fingers of evening sunshine brightened the cobbles.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
thitheradverbUS /ˈðɪθɜːr/
an old word meaning “to that place”
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
TrinitynounUS /ˈtrɪnəti/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
unreasoningadjectiveUS /ənˈriːznɪŋ/
not based on reason or evidence
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
precisely as stated
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
waddled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Pigeons from the corn market waddled hither and thither in search of dribbled grain,--unreasoning pigeons, these, for of a Sunday no manna fell on Cornhill.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
at the time that
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading The ale-stake above the tavern door rustled in a whisper; 't was a fresh-broken branch, green and in full leaf, set out for this same feast of the Trinity.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
witheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading Calote had caught the withered bough when it fell, and made off with it under the alewife's very nose.
