Chapter I

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

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

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

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading He was thin as bones and very long—so long that he appeared to be wearing stilts.

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

From this reading He was thin as bones and very long—so long that he appeared to be wearing stilts.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

a container that is usually woven and has handles

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance

From this reading He was thin as bones and very long—so long that he appeared to be wearing stilts.

a youthful male person

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

a young person of either sex

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

a pair who associate with one another

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

possessive form of “couple” — a pair who associate with one another

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

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

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

a feeling of dissatisfaction that results when your expectations are not realized

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

the sill of a door; a horizontal piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

opinion or judgment

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

the experiencing of affective and emotional states

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

plural of “food” — any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

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

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

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

From this reading He was thin as bones and very long—so long that he appeared to be wearing stilts.

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

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

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

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

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

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

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

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

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

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

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 So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

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

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

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

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

and nothing more

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

deserving or inciting pity

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

a charge of ammunition for a single shot

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

being of delicate or slender build

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

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

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

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

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

plural of “stilt” — a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure

From this reading He was thin as bones and very long—so long that he appeared to be wearing stilts.

the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

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

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

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

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

Having little thickness or extent.

From this reading He was thin as bones and very long—so long that he appeared to be wearing stilts.

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

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

lacking grace in movement or posture

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

up to a particular time

From this reading His body was very ungainly and the couple’s first feeling was one of disappointment—until they looked into his eyes.

not usual or common or ordinary

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

precisely as stated

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

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

From this reading SLENDER FOODS AND ROUND FOODS Snythergen’s mother was poor—so poor that she did not feel able to support her baby boy.

(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)

From this reading He was thin as bones and very long—so long that he appeared to be wearing stilts.

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

From this reading The pair were very much surprised, not only at finding Snythergen, but at his unusual appearance.

which person or people

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading So she put him in a basket—it had to be a large one—and left it on the doorstep of a little old couple who had long wished for a child.