used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
to or in a foreign country
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
budsnounUS /bʌdz/
plural of “bud” — a partially opened flower
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
carolsnounUS /ˈkerəlz/
plural of “carol” — joyful religious song celebrating the birth of Christ
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading Inside the ward there were even greater changes.
children's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
chrysanthemumsnounUS /krɪˈsænθəməmz/
plural of “chrysanthemum” — the flower of a chrysanthemum plant
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading Of the old set of summer patients only a few remained to keep Polly company.
convalescentnounUS /ˌkɑːnvəˈlesənt/
a person who is recovering from illness
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
the act of departing
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
Eva
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
divisible by two
From this reading Inside the ward there were even greater changes.
festoonedverbUS /ˌfeˈstuːnd/
past form of “festoon” — decorate with strings of flowers
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Of the old set of summer patients only a few remained to keep Polly company.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Inside the ward there were even greater changes.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
infrequentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfriːkwənt/
not frequent; not occurring regularly or at short intervals
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading Inside the ward there were even greater changes.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Of the old set of summer patients only a few remained to keep Polly company.
lilacnounUS /ˈlaɪlæk/
any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
lingeredverbUS /ˈlɪŋɡərd/
past form of “linger” — remain present although waning or gradually dying
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
a person who carries a message
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
NoonsnounUS /nuːnz/
plural of “noon” — the middle of the day
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Of the old set of summer patients only a few remained to keep Polly company.
and nothing more
From this reading Of the old set of summer patients only a few remained to keep Polly company.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
patientsnounUS /ˈpeɪʃənts/
plural of “patient” — a person who requires medical care
From this reading Of the old set of summer patients only a few remained to keep Polly company.
PlaysnounUS /pleɪz/
plural of “play” — a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
Polly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Of the old set of summer patients only a few remained to keep Polly company.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Of the old set of summer patients only a few remained to keep Polly company.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
not in physical motion
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Inside the ward there were even greater changes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
unfurlingverbUS /ənˈfɜːrlɪŋ/
-ing form of “unfurl” — unroll, unfold, or spread out or be unrolled, unfolded, or spread out from a furled state
From this reading Noons were hot, and nights were chill; bird carols were infrequent; chrysanthemums were unfurling their buds.
vinesnounUS /vaɪnz/
plural of “vine” — a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
wardnounUS /wɔːrd/
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Polly Plays the Part of Eva Summer still lingered, but signs were abroad of her coming departure.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
yellow-coated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The vines that festooned the windows of the children's convalescent ward sent an occasional yellow-coated messenger to the lilac bushes below--a messenger that never came back.
