the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
Brenlands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
declineverbUS /dɪˈklaɪn/
grow worse
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
DucklingnounUS /ˈdʌklɪŋ/
flesh of a young domestic duck
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
eggnounUS /eɡ/
animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum or embryo together with nutritive and protective envelopes; especially the thin-shelled reproductive body laid by e.g. female birds
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
feathersnounUS /ˈfeðərz/
plural of “feather” — the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
having or given a form or shape
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
the act of departing
From this reading "I'm not going," said Jack.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
half-termnoun
a short vacation about halfway through a school term
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm not going," said Jack.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
a small worthless amount
From this reading "I'm not going," said Jack.
the month following May and preceding July
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
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 "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
Mab
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
by chance
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
in the right manner; correctly; suitably
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
REBELnounUS /ˈrebəl/
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading THE REBEL RECLAIMED.
RECLAIMEDadjectiveUS /riˈkleɪmd/
delivered from danger
From this reading THE REBEL RECLAIMED.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I'm not going," said Jack.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
smalleradjectiveUS /ˈsmɔːlər/
small or little relative to something else
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
smoothedadjectiveUS /smuːðd/
made smooth by ironing
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
strokedverbUS /stroʊkt/
past form of “stroke” — touch lightly and repeatedly, as with brushing motions
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE REBEL RECLAIMED.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
in the direction of
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
ValentinenounUS /ˈvæləntaɪn/
a sweetheart chosen to receive a greeting on Saint Valentine's Day
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why not?" asked Valentine, astonished that any one should decline an invitation to Brenlands.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "'I think he will grow up pretty, and perhaps be smaller; he has remained too long in the egg, and therefore his figure is not properly formed;' and then she stroked his neck and smoothed the feathers."--_The Ugly Duckling_.
inflected form of “write” — produce a literary work
From this reading Towards the end of June, Queen Mab wrote asking the two boys to come over for their usual half-term holiday.
