used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
for the reason that
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
bloomedverbUS /bluːmd/
past form of “bloom” — produce or yield flowers
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
boyhoodnounUS /ˈbɔɪhʊd/
the childhood of a boy
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
caressingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
concealmentnounUS /kənˈsiːlmənt/
the condition of being concealed or hidden
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
without variation or change, in every case
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
freshnessnounUS /ˈfreʃnəs/
the property of being pure and fresh (as if newly made); not stale or deteriorated
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
the act of departing
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
coins made of gold
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
happiestadjectiveUS /ˈhæpiəst/
superlative of “happy” — enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
jonquils
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
immediately past
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
ledgenounUS /ledʒ/
a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
hear with intention
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
coated with paint
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
perfumingverbUS /pərˈfjuːmɪŋ/
-ing form of “perfume” — fill or impregnate with an odor
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
plantsnounUS /plænts/
plural of “plant” — buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
poolsnounUS /puːlz/
plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
potnounUS /pɑːt/
metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
practisedadjectiveUS /ˈpræktɪst/
skillful after much practice
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
primrosesnounUS /ˈprɪmroʊzəz/
plural of “primrose” — any of numerous short-stemmed plants of the genus Primula having tufted basal leaves and showy flowers clustered in umbels or heads
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
spilledverbUS /spɪld/
past form of “spill” — cause or allow (a liquid substance) to run or flow from a container
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
the rays of the sun
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
arousing affect
From this reading The sunshine knew it and danced over him caressingly, touching his hands, his face, his hair each day, as if for the last time.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
precisely as stated
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading STOP--LOOK--LISTEN Old David was going to die.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
which person or people
From this reading Old David was going to die, but because those who watched him practised an art of cheerful concealment, it was a very happy time for him, quite the happiest time he had known since boyhood.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It spilled pretty pools of gold on the floor and painted the walls with golden patches.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading And the plants at the window ledge knew it, two primroses and a pot of yellow jonquils, and for that reason they bloomed constantly, perfuming the air with a delicate freshness.
