used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
tending to become more severe or wider in scope
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
ardentadjectiveUS /ˈɑːrdənt/
characterized by intense emotion
From this reading The ardent little fellow by the fireside can hardly contain himself.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
a youthful male person
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading The ardent little fellow by the fireside can hardly contain himself.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
complainingadjectiveUS /kəmˈpleɪnɪŋ/
expressing pain or dissatisfaction of resentment
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
containverbUS /kənˈteɪn/
include or contain; have as a component
From this reading The ardent little fellow by the fireside can hardly contain himself.
without stop or interruption
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
plural of “family” — a social unit living together
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
a boy or man
From this reading The ardent little fellow by the fireside can hardly contain himself.
firesidenounUS /ˈfaɪərsaɪd/
an area near a fireplace (usually paved and extending out into a room)
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
frolicnounUS /ˈfrɑːlɪk/
gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
activities that are enjoyable or amusing
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Occasionally, a troop of them will go rushing by the windows, in the impetuosity of their sports.
only a very short time before
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
hearsverbUS /hiːrz/
third-person singular of “hear” — perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading The ardent little fellow by the fireside can hardly contain himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
impetuositynoun
rash impulsiveness
From this reading Occasionally, a troop of them will go rushing by the windows, in the impetuosity of their sports.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
indulgeverbUS /ˌɪnˈdʌldʒ/
give free rein to
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
joyfuladjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪfəl/
full of or producing joy
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
the sound of laughing
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The ardent little fellow by the fireside can hardly contain himself.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
merrimentnoun
a gay feeling
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
the light of the Moon
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
OBEDIENCEnounUS /oʊˈbiːdiəns/
the act of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior with respect to another person
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading Occasionally, a troop of them will go rushing by the windows, in the impetuosity of their sports.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
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 OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
playsnounUS /pleɪz/
plural of “play” — a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
with low volume
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
rushingnounUS /ˈrʌʃɪŋ/
(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running into the line
From this reading Occasionally, a troop of them will go rushing by the windows, in the impetuosity of their sports.
shoutsnounUS /ʃaʊts/
plural of “shout” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
sportsnounUS /spɔːrts/
plural of “sport” — an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
From this reading Occasionally, a troop of them will go rushing by the windows, in the impetuosity of their sports.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
in or at that place or location
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
troopnounUS /truːp/
a group of soldiers
From this reading Occasionally, a troop of them will go rushing by the windows, in the impetuosity of their sports.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nineteen and one
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
unwillingnessnounUS /ənˈwɪlɪŋnɪs/
the trait of being unwilling
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
visitsnounUS /ˈvɪzɪts/
plural of “visit” — the act of going to see some person or place or thing for a short time
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
well-regulated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading OBEDIENCE, (continued) There is hardly any subject upon which children in well-regulated families feel more like complaining-, than of the unwillingness of their parents to indulge them, in evening plays and evening visits.
which person or people
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
belonging to which person
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Occasionally, a troop of them will go rushing by the windows, in the impetuosity of their sports.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading Occasionally, a troop of them will go rushing by the windows, in the impetuosity of their sports.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading An active boy, whose heart is full of fun and frolic, is sitting quietly by the fireside, in a pleasant winter evening.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Every now and then he hears the loud shouts and joyful laugh of some twenty of his companions, who are making the moonlight air ring with their merriment.
