Chapter XXV

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading AT THE GARDEN PARTY.

inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

any tropical Asian palm of the genus Calamus; light tough stems are a source of rattan canes

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading They came in pairs, and in groups, and in whole families.

inflected form of “chat” — talk socially without exchanging too much information

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

unlike in nature or quality or form or degree

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

plural of “family” — a social unit living together

From this reading They came in pairs, and in groups, and in whole families.

any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading AT THE GARDEN PARTY.

American finch whose male has yellow body plumage in summer

From this reading "Good morning," said old Mrs. Goldfinch to Mrs. Hummer.

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading "Good morning," said old Mrs. Goldfinch to Mrs. Hummer.

plural of “group” — any number of entities (members) considered as a unit

From this reading They came in pairs, and in groups, and in whole families.

plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

a singer who produces a tune without opening the lips or forming words

From this reading "Good morning," said old Mrs. Goldfinch to Mrs. Hummer.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

plural of “lilac” — any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

a form of address for a married woman

From this reading "Good morning," said old Mrs. Goldfinch to Mrs. Hummer.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading "Good morning," said old Mrs. Goldfinch to Mrs. Hummer.

plural of “pair” — a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading They came in pairs, and in groups, and in whole families.

an organization to gain political power

From this reading AT THE GARDEN PARTY.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

a day devoted to an outdoor social gathering

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading "Good morning," said old Mrs. Goldfinch to Mrs. Hummer.

the display of a motion picture

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

in a shy or timid or bashful manner

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

the season of growth

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

plural of “suit” — a set of garments (usually including a jacket and trousers or skirt) for outerwear all of the same fabric and color

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading AT THE GARDEN PARTY.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They came in pairs, and in groups, and in whole families.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

at the time that

From this reading The morning dew was not off from the lilacs and the sweet calamus in the garden when the birds began to come to the party.

a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind

From this reading They were turning their heads this way and that, whispering and chatting and showing off their new spring suits, and looking shyly at the different kinds of food, like people at a picnic.

including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete

From this reading They came in pairs, and in groups, and in whole families.