used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
for the reason that
From this reading The robins and bobolinks were not invited, because they were such gluttons.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
blue-bird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
bobolinks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The robins and bobolinks were not invited, because they were such gluttons.
pleasing or delighting
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
cherry-birds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The crows could not come, because they were so quarrelsome, and the cherry-birds were too great thieves.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The crows could not come, because they were so quarrelsome, and the cherry-birds were too great thieves.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The crows could not come, because they were so quarrelsome, and the cherry-birds were too great thieves.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
crowsnounUS /kroʊz/
plural of “crow” — black birds having a raucous call
From this reading The crows could not come, because they were so quarrelsome, and the cherry-birds were too great thieves.
cunningadjectiveUS /ˈkʌnɪŋ/
attractive especially by means of smallness or prettiness or quaintness
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
gluttonsnounUS /ˈɡlʌtənz/
plural of “glutton” — a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess
From this reading The robins and bobolinks were not invited, because they were such gluttons.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The crows could not come, because they were so quarrelsome, and the cherry-birds were too great thieves.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
indigo-bird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of
From this reading The robins and bobolinks were not invited, because they were such gluttons.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
Minnie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The robins and bobolinks were not invited, because they were such gluttons.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
oriolenounUS /ˈɔːrioʊl/
mostly tropical songbird; the male is usually bright orange and black
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
an organization to gain political power
From this reading THE SQUIRREL'S PARTY.
politeadjectiveUS /pəˈlaɪt/
showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
quarrelsomeadjectiveUS /ˈkwɔːrəlsəm/
given to quarreling
From this reading The crows could not come, because they were so quarrelsome, and the cherry-birds were too great thieves.
robinsnounUS /ˈrɑːbənz/
plural of “robin” — small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading The robins and bobolinks were not invited, because they were such gluttons.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
SQUIRREL'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE SQUIRREL'S PARTY.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SQUIRREL'S PARTY.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The robins and bobolinks were not invited, because they were such gluttons.
thievesnounUS /θiːvz/
plural of “thief” — a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it
From this reading The crows could not come, because they were so quarrelsome, and the cherry-birds were too great thieves.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
thrushnounUS /θrʌʃ/
candidiasis of the oral cavity; seen mostly in infants or debilitated adults
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The crows could not come, because they were so quarrelsome, and the cherry-birds were too great thieves.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In due time the company arrived, and all were in such good spirits, and so polite, that Minnie thought she had never known a more charming party.
wrennounUS /ren/
English architect who designed more than fifty London churches (1632-1723)
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
yellow-bird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On each side of herself sat the birds; a blue-bird and yellow-bird first, then a thrush and an oriole, then--cunning little creatures!--a wren and an indigo-bird.
