Chapter I · Chapter 1

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

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

following the length of something from one end toward the other

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

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

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

one more of the same kind, or a different one

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

-ing form of “attempt” — make an effort or attempt

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

plural of “attic” — floor consisting of open space at the top of a house just below roof; often used for storage

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

the act of waking

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

a person's social heritage: previous experience or training

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

plural of “barn” — an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

brought into existence

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

a youthful male person

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

possessive form of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

a creation of the highest excellence

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

capital of the state of New Hampshire; located in south central New Hampshire on the Merrimack river

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

without variation or change, in every case

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

give pleasure to or be pleasing to

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

possessive form of “emerson” — United States writer and leading exponent of transcendentalism (1803-1882)

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

a division of the United Kingdom

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

divisible by two

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

plural of “fancy” — something many people believe that is false

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

the act of someone who fishes as a diversion

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

plural of “flight” — a formation of aircraft in flight

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

set up or found

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

the act of giving

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

an established custom

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

past form of “help” — give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

possessive form of “husband” — a married man; a woman's partner in marriage

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

the ability to form mental images of things or events

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

plural of “imagination” — the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

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

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

becoming greater or larger

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

as a matter of instinct

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

plural of “instinct” — inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

past form of “invite” — increase the likelihood of

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

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

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

a brief (and hurriedly handwritten) note

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

a large and imposing house

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

a pair of people who live together

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

English poet; remembered primarily as the author of an epic poem describing humanity's fall from grace (1608-1674)

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

as might be expected

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

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

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

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

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

a writing implement with a point from which ink flows

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

plural of “picture” — a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

an area where many people go for recreation

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

plural of “poem” — a composition written in metrical feet forming rhythmical lines

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

the head of the Roman Catholic Church

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

ordinary writing as distinguished from verse

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

increase the number of rotations per minute

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

award-winning United States film actor (1928-1999)

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

that is looked for

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

the husband of your mother by a subsequent marriage

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

emotionally aroused

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

past form of “supplement” — add as a supplement to what seems insufficient

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

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

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

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

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

inflected form of “take” — carry out

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

plural of “vacation” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

literature in metrical form

From this reading Even as a little boy he had the habit of attempting flights of verse, stimulated by Milton, Pope, or Scott, and he and his mates took pleasure in declaiming to each other in barns and attics.

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

From this reading He was so full of thoughts and fancies that he sought the pen instinctively, to jot them down.

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

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

plural of “woodland” — land that is covered with trees and shrubs

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area

From this reading Her husband's stepfather, Rev. Dr. Ripley of Concord, helped her, and constantly invited the boys to the Old Manse, so that the woods and fields along the Concord River were first a playground and then the background of the dreams of their awakening imaginations.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.

made or constructed by interlacing threads or strips of material or other elements into a whole

From this reading In his early poems classic imagery is woven into pictures of New England woodlands.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Born in the city, Emerson's young mind first found delight in poems and classic prose, to which his instincts led him as naturally as another boy's would to go fishing, but his vacations in the country supplemented these by giving him great and increasing love of nature.