used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
(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 Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
eagerly desirous
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
in addition to; as well as
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
bird-raising
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
canarynounUS /kəˈneri/
someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
a social unit living together
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
femalesnounUS /ˈfiːmeɪlz/
plural of “female” — an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
a young female
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
coins made of gold
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
intenselyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtensli/
to a high degree; extremely; in high concentration or density
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
arousing or holding the attention
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
having or showing profound knowledge
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
learnsverbUS /lɜːrnz/
third-person singular of “learn” — gain knowledge or skills
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
matingnounUS /ˈmeɪtɪŋ/
the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
on one occasion
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
and nothing more
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
raise the level or amount of something
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
the event of something being raised upward
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
express in words
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
sparrownounUS /ˈsperoʊ/
any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insects
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
hard to endure
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
precisely as stated
From this reading I had a friend who was very anxious for me to try my luck at bird-raising, so one day she brought over her handsome green and gold canary.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading At that time I had a number of birds, among them three which I thought were females, but I was only sure of one, a little girl sparrow.
which person or people
From this reading Those who have not tried mating and raising birds have lost a great deal of pleasure.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Once I heard a lady say that she thought all women ought to raise birds before trying to bring up a family, for there was so much to be learned from the birds.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading Besides being intensely interesting, one learns many things worth knowing.
