used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
angryadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡri/
feeling or showing anger
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading They were everywhere around me, and in thousands.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
the people of Great Britain
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
ceaselessadjectiveUS /ˈsiːslɪs/
uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
chatteringnounUS /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/
the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
chirruping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
ColumbianounUS /kəˈlʌmbiə/
a North American river; rises in southwestern Canada and flows southward across Washington to form the border between Washington and Oregon before emptying into the Pacific; known for its salmon runs in the spring
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
continuing forever or indefinitely
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
to or in any or all places
From this reading They were everywhere around me, and in thousands.
fallacynounUS /ˈfæləsi/
a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
From this reading What a fallacy!
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
past form of “imagine” — form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
locationnounUS /loʊˈkeɪʃən/
a point or extent in space
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
not any; not one
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
on one occasion
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
Rita
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
RockiesnounUS /ˈrɑːkiz/
the chief mountain range of western North America; extends from British Columbia to northern New Mexico; forms the continental divide
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
a protective covering that covers or forms the top of a building
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
songsters
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
squeaknounUS /skwiːk/
a short high-pitched noise
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
squirrelnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəl/
a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
sustainedadjectiveUS /səˈsteɪnd/
maintained at length without interruption or weakening
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
in or at that place or location
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were everywhere around me, and in thousands.
plural of “thousand” — the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
From this reading They were everywhere around me, and in thousands.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
(usually followed by “to”) not having the necessary means or skill or know-how
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Rita of the Spanish Song Next morning I was awakened bright and early by the singing of birds.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I had heard once, in a London drawing-room, that there were no singing birds in British Columbia; that the songsters of the East were unable to get across the high, eternal cold and snow of the Rockies.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What a fallacy!
woody-toned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a few moments I imagined myself back in England; but the ceaseless beat of the sea and the sustained, woody-toned, chattering, chirruping squeak of an angry squirrel on my roof gave me my proper location.
