used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He got a little basket, caught the poor little birds, and put them in it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
a container that is usually woven and has handles
From this reading He got a little basket, caught the poor little birds, and put them in it.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading If he put them in the yard the cat would catch them.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading If he put them in the yard the cat would catch them.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading He got a little basket, caught the poor little birds, and put them in it.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Tommie wondered what he could do with them.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Tommie wondered what he could do with them.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tommie wondered what he could do with them.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
house-top
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If he put them in the yard the cat would catch them.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If he put them in the yard the cat would catch them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He got a little basket, caught the poor little birds, and put them in it.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He got a little basket, caught the poor little birds, and put them in it.
informal terms for a mother
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
observatorynounUS /əbˈzɜːrvətɔːri/
a building designed and equipped to observe astronomical phenomena
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading He got a little basket, caught the poor little birds, and put them in it.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading If he put them in the yard the cat would catch them.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Tommie wondered what he could do with them.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Then Tommie told his mamma that he could carry them to the observatory on the house-top, and got his papa to put them in the chimney.
Tommie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tommie wondered what he could do with them.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Tommie wondered what he could do with them.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Tommie wondered what he could do with them.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading Tommie wondered what he could do with them.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading They could not go up the chimney, and the old birds would never come down.
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 If he put them in the yard the cat would catch them.
