used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The lad, it seemed, was not to be frightened.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
unlike in nature or quality or form or degree
From this reading His thoughts were of something far different.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading His thoughts were of something far different.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
flutteringnounUS /ˈflʌtərɪŋ/
the motion made by flapping up and down
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
made afraid
From this reading The lad, it seemed, was not to be frightened.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
destroyed or killed
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
hedgeverbUS /hedʒ/
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
ten 10s
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
IInoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
a boy or man
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
lassnounUS /læs/
a girl or young woman who is unmarried
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
millernounUS /ˈmɪlər/
United States bandleader of a popular big band (1909-1944)
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
miller'snounUS /ˈmɪlərz/
possessive form of “miller” — United States bandleader of a popular big band (1909-1944)
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
and nothing more
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The lad, it seemed, was not to be frightened.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading His thoughts were of something far different.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading But it was not a pair of birds; it was only a lad and a lass, startled by the miller’s sudden appearance out of the darkness.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading His thoughts were of something far different.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The lad, it seemed, was not to be frightened.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But the miller was not thinking of his shadow now.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His thoughts were of something far different.
at the time that
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
plural of “yard” — a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading II The miller had not gone more than a hundred yards when he heard a rustling and fluttering that sounded like two large birds taking flight from behind the hedge.
