used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading BEARS AND THEIR CUBS.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
BEARSnounUS /berz/
plural of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws
From this reading BEARS AND THEIR CUBS.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
brought into existence
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
clawsnounUS /klɔːz/
plural of “claw” — sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
constructverbUS /kənˈstrʌkt/
make by combining materials and parts
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
CUBSnounUS /kʌbz/
plural of “cub” — an awkward and inexperienced youth
From this reading BEARS AND THEIR CUBS.
dennounUS /den/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading Bears hibernate during three or four months of the winter season.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Bears hibernate during three or four months of the winter season.
in a gradual manner
From this reading The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape.
come to pass
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
hibernateverbUS /ˈhaɪbərneɪt/
sleep during winter
From this reading Bears hibernate during three or four months of the winter season.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
impenetrableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpenətrəbəl/
not admitting of penetration or passage into or through
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
licksnounUS /lɪks/
plural of “lick” — a salt deposit that animals regularly lick
From this reading The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape.
linedadjectiveUS /laɪnd/
bordered by a line of things
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
massesnounUS /ˈmæsəz/
the common people generally
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
micenounUS /maɪs/
plural of “mouse” — 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 The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Bears hibernate during three or four months of the winter season.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape.
not any; not one
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Bears hibernate during three or four months of the winter season.
prominentadjectiveUS /ˈprɑːmənənt/
having a quality that thrusts itself into attention
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
(military) withdrawal of troops to a more favorable position to escape the enemy's superior forces or after a defeat
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading Bears hibernate during three or four months of the winter season.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape.
shapelessadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪpləs/
having no definite form or distinct shape
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
shrubsnounUS /ʃrʌbz/
plural of “shrub” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading BEARS AND THEIR CUBS.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Bears hibernate during three or four months of the winter season.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
at the time that
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
a Caucasian
From this reading The cubs of bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh, a little larger than mice; their claws alone being prominent.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Bears hibernate during three or four months of the winter season.
in the company of; together with
From this reading If they happen to have no den, they construct a retreat with branches and shrubs, which is made impenetrable to the rain and is lined with soft leaves.
