adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
AndconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
beardnounUS /bɪrd/
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
BooknounUS /bʊk/
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
certainlyadverbUS /ˈsɜːrtənli/
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
chooseverbUS /tʃuːz/
pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
clogsnounUS /klɑːɡz/
plural of “clog” — footwear usually with wooden soles
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
composedadjectiveUS /kəmˈpoʊzd/
serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
Derry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
dogsnounUS /dɑːɡz/
plural of “dog” — a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
fearedverbUS /fɪrd/
past form of “fear” — be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
folksnounUS /foʊks/
your parents
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
FournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
frequentlyadverbUS /ˈfriːkwəntli/
many times at short intervals
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
funnounUS /fʌn/
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
greateradjectiveUS /ˈɡreɪtər/
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
Haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
HennounUS /hen/
adult female chicken
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
IfconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
justadverbUS /dʒʌst/
and nothing more
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
LadynounUS /ˈleɪdi/
a polite name for any woman
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
LarksnounUS /lɑːrks/
plural of “lark” — North American songbirds having a yellow breast
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
laughternounUS /ˈlæftər/
the sound of laughing
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
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 There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
lovedadjectiveUS /lʌvd/
held dear
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
madeadjectiveUS /meɪd/
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
MannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
merryadjectiveUS /ˈmeri/
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
mydeterminerUS /maɪ/
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
nestsnounUS /nests/
plural of “nest” — a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
nosenounUS /noʊz/
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
OldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
originallyadverbUS /ərˈɪdʒənəli/
in an original manner
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
OwlsnounUS /aʊlz/
plural of “owl” — nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
parentsnounUS /ˈperənts/
plural of “parent” — a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
partnounUS /pɑːrt/
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
purchasedverbUS /ˈpɜːrtʃəst/
past form of “purchase” — obtain by purchase; acquire by means of a financial transaction
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
remarkableadjectiveUS /rɪˈmɑːrkəbəl/
unusual or striking
From this reading That remarkable Man with a nose.
Ryde
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
saidadjectiveUS /sed/
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
seldomadverbUS /ˈseldəm/
not often
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
ShepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
shoe-strings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
shooknounUS /ʃʊk/
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
someadjectiveUS /sʌm/
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
spottyadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːti/
having spots or patches (small areas of contrasting color or texture)
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
supposeverbUS /səˈpoʊz/
express a supposition
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
ThereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
tooadverbUS /tuː/
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
TwonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
untiedadjectiveUS /ənˈtaɪd/
not tied
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
walkedverbUS /wɔːkt/
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
WhopronounUS /huː/
which person or people
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
WhosedeterminerUS /huːz/
belonging to which person
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was an Old Derry down Derry, Who loved to see little folks merry; So he made them a Book, And with laughter they shook, At the fun of that Derry down Derry!
WrennounUS /ren/
English architect who designed more than fifty London churches (1632-1723)
From this reading (The greater part of which were originally made and composed for their parents,) There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, "It is just as I feared!-- Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard!"
wrongadjectiveUS /rɔːŋ/
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading There was an Old Man with a nose, Who said, "If you choose to suppose, That my nose is too long, You are certainly wrong!"
YoungadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading There was a Young Lady of Ryde, Whose shoe-strings were seldom untied; She purchased some clogs, And some small spotty dogs, And frequently walked about Ryde.
