Chapter XVI · Chapter 16

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

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

from one side of something to the other

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

in the past

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

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

From this reading FAIRY AND BROWNIE.

any thing at all

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

any cognitive content held as true

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

accept as true; take to be true

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

a junior Girl Scout

From this reading FAIRY AND BROWNIE.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

definite but not specified or identified

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

plural of “child” — a young person of either sex

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

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

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

divisible by two

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

have an existence, be extant

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

plural of “fairy” — a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers

From this reading FAIRY AND BROWNIE.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

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

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

(of animals) fully developed

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

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

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

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

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

a field of cultivated and mowed grass

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

the natural satellite of the Earth

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

used to form the superlative

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

plural of “nature” — the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

not any; not one

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

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

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

out of fashion

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

on one occasion

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

by chance

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

a geometric element that has position but no extension

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

express in words

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

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

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

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

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

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

From this reading No one could say anything for certain on this point.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

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

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

know and comprehend the nature or meaning of

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

never dying

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

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

From this reading Perhaps it was not the first time that the moon had looked down on a fairy and a brownie running across that old, old lawn.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Children know most about them, but even children don't quite believe in them now, in the good old-fashioned way of long ago.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.

characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world

From this reading We all of us have a sort of undying belief in fairies, so perhaps they did exist once, before our hearts had grown too cold and our natures too worldly to understand them.