used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
plural of “adventure” — a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)
From this reading LIFE AND ADVENTURES TOM THUMB.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
a youthful male person
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
butterfly'snounUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪz/
possessive form of “butterfly” — diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
cheapadjectiveUS /tʃiːp/
relatively low in price or charging low prices
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
children's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
an outer garment that has sleeves and covers the body from shoulder down; worn outdoors
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
HAVENnounUS /ˈheɪvən/
a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary
From this reading NEW HAVEN.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading LIFE AND ADVENTURES TOM THUMB.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
mousenounUS /maʊs/
any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
mouse's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
needlenounUS /ˈniːdəl/
the leaf of a conifer
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading NEW HAVEN.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
oak-leaf
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
a full supply
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
shirtnounUS /ʃɜːrt/
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
tailor's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
thistlenounUS /ˈθɪsəl/
any of numerous plants of the family Compositae and especially of the genera Carduus and Cirsium and Onopordum having prickly-edged leaves
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
THUMBnounUS /θʌm/
the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb
From this reading TOM THUMB.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
male cat
From this reading TOM THUMB.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
at the time that
From this reading When I was a little boy, children’s books were not quite as plenty, or as cheap, or as _good_ as they are now.
a movable organ for flying (one of a pair)
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
woveverbUS /woʊv/
inflected form of “weave” — interlace by or as if by weaving
From this reading His shirt was made of a butterfly’s wing, His boots were made of a mouse’s skin, His coat was wove of thistle down, An oak-leaf hat he had for his crown, A tailor’s needle hung by his side, And a mouse for a horse he used to ride.
