AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
adroitlyadverbUS /əˈdrɔɪtli/
with adroitness; in an adroit manner
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
birdnounUS /bɜːrd/
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
bitnounUS /bɪt/
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading It bit; he died.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This is instructive and pointed, but a trifle severe.
creepverbUS /kriːp/
move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
diedverbUS /daɪd/
past form of “die” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading It bit; he died.
FABLEnounUS /ˈfeɪbəl/
a deliberately false or improbable account
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
featherverbUS /ˈfeðər/
join tongue and groove, in carpentry
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
footstepsnounUS /ˈfʊtsteps/
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
fowlernounUS /ˈfaʊlər/
English lexicographer who wrote a well-known book on English usage (1858-1933)
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
getverbUS /ɡet/
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
goingnounUS /ˈɡoʊɪŋ/
the act of departing
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
grassverbUS /ɡræs/
shoot down, of birds
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
gunshotnounUS /ˈɡʌnʃɑːt/
the act of shooting a gun
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
instructiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈstrʌktɪv/
serving to instruct or enlighten or inform
From this reading This is instructive and pointed, but a trifle severe.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It bit; he died.
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/
and nothing more
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
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 He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
maneuvernounUS /məˈnuːvər/
a military training exercise
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
pointedadjectiveUS /ˈpɔɪntɪd/
having a point
From this reading This is instructive and pointed, but a trifle severe.
pullverbUS /pʊl/
cause to move by pulling
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
sawverbUS /sɔː/
cut with a saw
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
severeadjectiveUS /səˈvɪr/
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
From this reading This is instructive and pointed, but a trifle severe.
shyverbUS /ʃaɪ/
start suddenly, as from fright
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
sittingnounUS /ˈsɪtɪŋ/
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
snakenounUS /sneɪk/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
steppedverbUS /stept/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
stolenounUS /stoʊl/
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
tellsnounUS /telz/
plural of “tell” — a Swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
ThisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
treenounUS /triː/
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
triflenounUS /ˈtraɪfəl/
a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate
From this reading This is instructive and pointed, but a trifle severe.
triggerverbUS /ˈtrɪɡər/
put in motion or move to act
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
unheardadjectiveUS /ənˈhɜːrd/
not necessarily inaudible but not heard
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/
not seen or perceived
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
uspronounUS /ʌs/
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
venomousadjectiveUS /ˈvenəməs/
extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He stole from tree to tree, and muffled his footsteps in the long grass so adroitly that, just as he was going to pull the trigger, he stepped light as a feather on a venomous snake.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading This is a very shy bird, so he had to creep and maneuver to get within gunshot unseen, unheard.
wood-pigeon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A FABLE tells us a fowler one day saw sitting in tree a wood-pigeon.
