used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
bedsnounUS /bedz/
plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
make by combining materials and parts
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But, really, birds do not build houses.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
cavesnounUS /keɪvz/
plural of “cave” — a geological formation consisting of an underground enclosure with access from the surface of the ground or from the sea
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
cornices
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
CRADLEnounUS /ˈkreɪdəl/
a baby bed with sides and rockers
From this reading CRADLE MAKING.
cradlesnounUS /ˈkreɪdəlz/
plural of “cradle” — a baby bed with sides and rockers
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
cribnounUS /krɪb/
baby bed with high sides made of slats
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But, really, birds do not build houses.
dwellingsnounUS /ˈdwelɪŋz/
plural of “dwelling” — housing that someone is living in
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading CRADLE MAKING.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But, really, birds do not build houses.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading But, really, birds do not build houses.
rockersnounUS /ˈrɑːkərz/
originally a British youth subculture that evolved out of the teddy boys in the 1960s; wore black leather jackets and jeans and boots; had greased hair and rode motorcycles and listened to rock'n'roll; were largely unskilled manual laborers
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
shelteringverbUS /ˈʃeltərɪŋ/
-ing form of “shelter” — provide shelter for
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Their houses or dwellings are built for them by Mother Nature, and are the trees and the bushes, and the sheltering rocks and the caves, and the cornices of our own houses.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
in the company of; together with
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading What birds really do build are their cradles,--little crib beds, sometimes with rockers and sometimes without.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading There is a good deal said and written about the way birds build their houses.
