used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
have
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
according with custom or propriety
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
a body serving in an administrative capacity
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
despairedverbUS /dɪˈsperd/
past form of “despair” — abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
ElephantnounUS /ˈeləfənt/
five-toed pachyderm
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
at any time
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Now the Elephant was greatly feared in the place.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading Now the Elephant was greatly feared in the place.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now the Elephant was greatly feared in the place.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
Letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
not one, and not any
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now the Elephant was greatly feared in the place.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Now the Elephant was greatly feared in the place.
proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
move by turning over or rotating
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
uttered with a trill
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "None that I know of or care for," said the Bear.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But the Elephant despaired of ever rolling himself up; he was growing larger every day and such a proceeding was of course becoming more and more difficult.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Let us call a council of the animals," said he, "and see what is to be done about it."
you'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading "Roll yourself up and go to sleep as I do, and you'll be comfortable enough."
