used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
(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 It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
awningnounUS /ˈɑːnɪŋ/
a canopy made of canvas to shelter people or things from rain or sun
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
blossomverbUS /ˈblɑːsəm/
produce or yield flowers
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
club-shapedadjective
shaped in the form of the black trefoil or clover leaf on some playing cards
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
concernsnounUS /kənˈsɜːrnz/
plural of “concern” — something that interests you because it is important or affects you
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
curvedadjectiveUS /kɜːrvd/
having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
earliestadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrliəst/
(comparative and superlative of “early”) more early than; most early
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
at any time
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
gayeradjectiveUS /ˈɡeɪər/
comparative of “gay” — bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
plural of “go” — a time period for working (after which you will be relieved by someone else)
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
a small worthless amount
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
JACK-IN-THE-PULPITnoun
common American spring-flowering woodland herb having sheathing leaves and an upright club-shaped spadix with overarching green and purple spathe producing scarlet berries
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
leafnounUS /liːf/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
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 good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
not any; not one
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
not divisible by two
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
by chance
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
plantverbUS /plænt/
put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
preachverbUS /priːtʃ/
deliver a sermon
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
preachernounUS /ˈpriːtʃər/
someone whose occupation is preaching the gospel
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
preachingnounUS /ˈpriːtʃɪŋ/
an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
protectingadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪŋ/
shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
pulpitnounUS /ˈpʊlpɪt/
a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
To recall to mind.
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
possessing material wealth
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
sermonsnounUS /ˈsɜːrmənz/
plural of “sermon” — an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
sombreadjective
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
sounding-board
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
spadixnoun
the fleshy axis of a spike often surrounded by a spathe
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
spathenoun
a conspicuous bract surrounding or subtending a spadix or other inflorescence
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
spikenounUS /spaɪk/
a transient variation in voltage or current
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
having a supporting base
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
stripedadjectiveUS /straɪpt/
marked or decorated with stripes
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
surroundsnounUS /sərˈaʊndz/
plural of “surround” — the area in which something exists or lives
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
in or at that place or location
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
a special situation
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
very small
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
under normal conditions
From this reading He is a cheerful little preacher and his pulpit is somewhat gayer than we usually see, but no one ever told Jack that to be good he must be solemn and that to preach he must have a pulpit rich and sombre.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It is an odd plant and what we call the flower is not the blossom at all, but a protecting leaf called a spathe which surrounds the tiny flowers growing on the club-shaped spike (or spadix) standing upright inside.
which person or people
From this reading The good God who made him gave him his pretty, striped pulpit with its striped awning to shelter it, and Jack goes on preaching his cheerful sermons from this as long as he lives.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT ONE of the earliest wild flowers to show its head above ground is Jack-in-the-pulpit.
in the company of; together with
From this reading That is a good thing to know and remember, but what concerns us now is that there is a pulpit with its curved sounding-board--or perhaps it is a striped awning--overhead, and that in the pulpit is Jack.
