used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
aloftadverbUS /əˈlɔːft/
at or on or to the masthead or upper rigging of a ship
From this reading Far down in the orchard I found her, Her earnest eyes gazing aloft.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading A baby hand waved me a warning, A baby voice called to me--soft.
birdiesnounUS /ˈbɜːrdiz/
plural of “birdie” — (golf) a score of one stroke under par on a hole
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
the two together, not just one
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A baby hand waved me a warning, A baby voice called to me--soft.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
CowpernounUS /ˈkaʊpər/
English surgeon who discovered Cowper's gland (1666-1709)
From this reading --_Cowper._ IN THE ORCHARD.
the specified day of the month
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Far down in the orchard I found her, Her earnest eyes gazing aloft.
characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
From this reading Far down in the orchard I found her, Her earnest eyes gazing aloft.
employsnounUS /emˈplɔɪz/
plural of “employ” — the state of being employed or having a job
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Far down in the orchard I found her, Her earnest eyes gazing aloft.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Far down in the orchard I found her, Her earnest eyes gazing aloft.
set up or found
From this reading Far down in the orchard I found her, Her earnest eyes gazing aloft.
frailtynounUS /ˈfreɪlti/
the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age)
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
frightenverbUS /ˈfraɪtən/
cause fear in
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Far down in the orchard I found her, Her earnest eyes gazing aloft.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading A baby hand waved me a warning, A baby voice called to me--soft.
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Far down in the orchard I found her, Her earnest eyes gazing aloft.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading --_Cowper._ IN THE ORCHARD.
joysnounUS /dʒɔɪz/
plural of “joy” — the emotion of great happiness
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
informal terms for a mother
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A baby hand waved me a warning, A baby voice called to me--soft.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
ORCHARDnounUS /ˈɔːrtʃərd/
garden consisting of a small cultivated wood without undergrowth
From this reading --_Cowper._ IN THE ORCHARD.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
reflectverbUS /rɪˈflekt/
manifest or bring back
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
Short-livedadjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtˈlaɪvd/
lasting a very short time
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
shorteradjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtər/
comparative of “short” — primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading A baby hand waved me a warning, A baby voice called to me--soft.
comparatives of “soon” or “early”
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
not in physical motion
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
They're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading A baby hand waved me a warning, A baby voice called to me--soft.
a message informing of danger
From this reading A baby hand waved me a warning, A baby voice called to me--soft.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading A baby hand waved me a warning, A baby voice called to me--soft.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
but in spite of that
From this reading To change both my heart and my fancy employs; I reflect on the frailty of man and his joys; Short-lived as we are, yet our pleasures, we see, Have a still shorter date, and die sooner than we.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Hush, mamma, don't frighten the birdies; They're busy at work, don't you see?
