used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
(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 If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading AT MEAL-TIME.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
cagenounUS /keɪdʒ/
an enclosure made or wire or metal bars in which birds or animals can be kept
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
take in solid food
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
divisible by two
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Birds have sharp eyes.
finchesnounUS /ˈfɪntʃɪz/
plural of “finch” — any of numerous small songbirds with short stout bills adapted for crushing seeds
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
hopverbUS /hɑːp/
jump lightly
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
MEAL-TIME
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AT MEAL-TIME.
near-sighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
peckingverbUS /ˈpekɪŋ/
-ing form of “peck” — hit lightly with a picking motion
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
precisely, exactly
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
Identical; not different.
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Birds have sharp eyes.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
starveverbUS /stɑːrv/
be hungry; go without food
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
very small
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
twigverbUS /twɪɡ/
branch out in a twiglike manner
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading These birds seem to be near-sighted, finding their dinner right under their eyes.
precisely as stated
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
look attentively
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Watch the finches and see how they hop from twig to twig, pecking at tiny things which we cannot even see.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If we had twenty birds in a cage and had to hunt for all the food they could eat, the same as they would do if they were free, we should have a busy time of it, and very likely the birds would starve.
