used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
in actual fact
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
(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 This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
aromanounUS /ərˈoʊmə/
any property detected by the olfactory system
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
beaunounUS /boʊ/
a man who is the lover of a man or woman
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
behavingverbUS /bɪˈheɪvɪŋ/
-ing form of “behave” — behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
a youthful male person
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
catchingnounUS /ˈkætʃɪŋ/
(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
pleasing or delighting
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
clumpsnounUS /klʌmps/
plural of “clump” — a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
coquettishlyadverb
in a flirtatious manner
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
cousinsnounUS /ˈkʌzənz/
plural of “cousin” — the child of your aunt or uncle
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
coylyadverbUS /ˈkɔɪli/
in a coy manner
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
cravedadjectiveUS /kreɪvd/
wanted intensely
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
Crik
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
curvesnounUS /kɜːrvz/
plural of “curve” — the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
daintilyadverbUS /ˈdeɪntəliː/
in a dainty and fastidious manner
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
dashingadjectiveUS /ˈdæʃɪŋ/
lively and spirited
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
divingnounUS /ˈdaɪvɪŋ/
an athletic competition that involves diving into water
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
DrakenounUS /dreɪk/
English explorer and admiral who was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe and who helped to defeat the Spanish Armada (1540-1596)
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
duckverbUS /dʌk/
to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
explosionnounUS /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
farmer'snounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/
possessive form of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
firedadjectiveUS /ˈfaɪərd/
having lost your job
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
fishyadjectiveUS /ˈfɪʃi/
of or relating to or resembling fish
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
fragrantadjectiveUS /ˈfreɪɡrənt/
pleasant-smelling
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
the father of your father or mother
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
grandfather'snounUS /ˈɡrændfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “grandfather” — the father of your father or mother
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
hide-and-seeknoun
a game in which a child covers his eyes while the other players hide then tries to find them
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
hunternounUS /ˈhʌntər/
someone who hunts game
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
marshnounUS /mɑːrʃ/
low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
marsh-mallow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
morselnounUS /ˈmɔːrsəl/
a small quantity of anything
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
mummiesnounUS /ˈmʌmiz/
plural of “mummy” — informal terms for a mother
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
perfumenounUS /pərˈfjuːm/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
prospectsnounUS /ˈprɑːspekts/
plural of “prospect” — the possibility of future success
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
rawadjectiveUS /rɑː/
(used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
reedsnounUS /riːdz/
plural of “reed” — tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
respectsnounUS /rɪˈspekts/
(often used with “pay”) a formal expression of esteem
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
seventhadjectiveUS /ˈsevənθ/
coming next after the sixth and just before the eighth in position
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
the act of firing a projectile
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
term of address for a man
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
plural of “sister” — a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
SootyadjectiveUS /ˈsuːti/
of the blackest black; similar to the color of jet or coal
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
swimverbUS /swɪm/
travel through water
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
swimmingnounUS /ˈswɪmɪŋ/
the act of swimming
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
Tarrup
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
terrificadjectiveUS /tərˈɪfɪk/
very great or intense
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The black duck had a hard time of it from the beginning--that is, from the beginning of her life on the farm.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
at the time that
From this reading Indeed, she was behaving most coyly, daintily swimming in graceful curves around Sir Sooty among the marsh-mallow clumps at the mouth of "Tarrup Crik," when the shot was fired that changed all her prospects in life.
at any time that; every time that
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
which person or people
From this reading This put a fresh perfume on her breath, and made her utterly charming to her seventh cousin, Sir Sooty Drake, who always kept himself actually fragrant with the aroma of raw fish, and was in all respects a dashing beau.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She had been a free wild bird up to that time, swimming in the bay, playing hide-and-seek with her brothers and sisters and cousins among the marsh reeds along the bank, and coquettishly diving for "mummies" and catching them "on the swim" whenever she craved a fishy morsel.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The farmer's boy was a hunter, and so had been his grandfather, and his grandfather's gun did its work with a terrific old-fashioned explosion.
