used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
in actual fact
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading They run along under the hedges and fences at hide-and-seek.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BIRDS AT WORK AND PLAY.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
another's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading BIRDS AT WORK AND PLAY.
backsnounUS /bæks/
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading BIRDS AT WORK AND PLAY.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
fencesnounUS /ˈfensəz/
plural of “fence” — a barrier that serves to enclose an area
From this reading They run along under the hedges and fences at hide-and-seek.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
hedgesnounUS /ˈhedʒɪz/
plural of “hedge” — a fence formed by a row of closely planted shrubs or bushes
From this reading They run along under the hedges and fences at hide-and-seek.
hide-and-seeknoun
a game in which a child covers his eyes while the other players hide then tries to find them
From this reading They run along under the hedges and fences at hide-and-seek.
hoppingverbUS /ˈhɑːpɪŋ/
inflected form of “hop” — jump lightly
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
leap-frog
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
on one occasion
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
participate in games or sport
From this reading BIRDS AT WORK AND PLAY.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading They run along under the hedges and fences at hide-and-seek.
scoldverbUS /skoʊld/
censure severely or angrily
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
express in speech
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They run along under the hedges and fences at hide-and-seek.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading They run along under the hedges and fences at hide-and-seek.
an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)
From this reading They will stop suddenly and scold at one another for not playing "fair"; and they actually play at leap-frog, hopping over one another's backs, never once using their hands.
precisely as stated
From this reading It sounds very strange to speak of a bird at play.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading BIRDS AT WORK AND PLAY.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading But you can see that birds do play, if you will give yourself the pleasure of watching them.
