used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
AladdinnounUS /æˈlædɪn/
in the Arabian Nights a boy who acquires a magic lamp from which he can summon a genie
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
anticipationnounUS /ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃən/
an expectation
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
bearskins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
Claus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
clungverbUS /klʌŋ/
inflected form of “cling” — come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
conceivedverbUS /kənˈsiːvd/
past form of “conceive” — have the idea for
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
fairylandnounUS /ˈferilænd/
something existing solely in the imagination (but often mistaken for reality)
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
genienounUS /ˈdʒiː.ni/
A magical spirit of immense power, often confined within an oil lamp or ring and bound to serve its master.
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
giftsnounUS /ɡɪfts/
plural of “gift” — something acquired without compensation
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
low or inferior in station or quality
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
illusionnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒən/
an erroneous mental representation
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
innocencenounUS /ˈɪnəsəns/
the quality of innocent naivete
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
lo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
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 Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
held dear
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
and nothing more
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
bring forth or yield
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/
(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
rubbedverbUS /rʌbd/
inflected form of “rub” — move over something with pressure
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
SantanounUS /ˈsæntə/
the legendary patron saint of children; an imaginary being who is thought to bring presents to children at Christmas
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
velvetnounUS /ˈvelvət/
a silky densely piled fabric with a plain back
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading Christmas morning the boys awakened early and crept from beneath their warm bearskins in eager anticipation of gifts from Santa Claus.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
a Caucasian
From this reading Snow lay upon the ground like a soft carpet of white velvet ten inches thick.
which person or people
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading Surely Aladdin had come to Blue River upon the wings of the Christmas storm, had rubbed his lamp, and lo! the humble cabin was in the heart of a fairyland such as was never conceived by the mind of a genie.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The sun had risen upon a scene such as winter only can produce.
accumulated knowledge or erudition or enlightenment
From this reading Of course they had long before learned who Santa Claus was, but they loved the story, and in the wisdom of their innocence clung to an illusion which brought them happiness.
