Chapter VII · The History of the Seven Young Owls

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

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

to come to rest, settle

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

(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 And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

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

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

past form of “answer” — react verbally

From this reading On which a mouse answered, “Squeaky-peeky-weeky! yes, it is!”

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

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

at or to a lower level than something

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading So they called out, “Is that a mouse?”

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

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

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

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

past form of “drown” — cover completely or make imperceptible

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading So that was the end of the seven young owls.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

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

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

the solid part of the earth's surface

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

detected or perceived by the sense of hearing

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

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

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

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

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

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

From this reading So they called out, “Is that a mouse?”

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

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

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

set afire or burning

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

the message that is intended or expressed or signified

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

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

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

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

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

plural of “owl” — nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

to become aware of through the senses

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

to a degree (not used with a negative)

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

the cardinal number that is the sum of six and one

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So they called out, “Is that a mouse?”

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

From this reading On which a mouse answered, “Squeaky-peeky-weeky! yes, it is!”

in a superficial manner

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading So they called out, “Is that a mouse?”

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

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

in or at that place or location

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

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

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

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

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

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

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading And immediately all the young owls threw themselves off the tree, meaning to alight on the ground; but they did not perceive that there was a large well below them, into which they all fell superficially, and were every one of them drowned in less than half a minute.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

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

From this reading And one night, when it was quite dark, they thought they heard a mouse; but, as the gas-lamps were not lighted, they could not see him.

at the time that

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading On which a mouse answered, “Squeaky-peeky-weeky! yes, it is!”

an affirmative

From this reading On which a mouse answered, “Squeaky-peeky-weeky! yes, it is!”

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading When the seven young owls set out, they sat every now and then on the branches of old trees, and never went far at one time.