Chapter VI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

next to; at the side of

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

a small piece or quantity of something

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

the two together, not just one

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

make by combining materials and parts

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

to be able to, or to be allowed to

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

rid of obstructions

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

get or gather together

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

provide as food

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

make full, also in a metaphorical sense

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

travel through the air; be airborne

From this reading Then they fly to the nest and feed it to one of the little ones.

moving swiftly

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

the ripened reproductive body of a seed plant

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

shoot down, of birds

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

plural of “insect” — small air-breathing arthropod

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Then they fly to the nest and feed it to one of the little ones.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

engage in

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

the quantity that can be held in the mouth

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

plural of “nestling” — young bird not yet fledged

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

above and across; more than

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

a set of two similar things considered as a unit

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

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 Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

a raised horizontal surface

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

participate in games or sport

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

not move; be in a resting position

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.

plural of “swallow” — a small amount of liquid food

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)

From this reading Then they fly to the nest and feed it to one of the little ones.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

very small

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

make physical contact with, come in contact with

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

plural of “vegetable” — edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant

From this reading Thus they keep the air clear and free from insects, and they do not a bit of harm, for they never touch our fruit or vegetables.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading When the swallows are flying about low over the grass, looking as if they were at play, they are really catching tiny insects as they go.

at the time that

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

in or at the place that

From this reading Some swallows build a platform beside the nest, where one of the pair can rest at night; and when the little ones get big enough to fill up the nest, both parents can sleep there.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading And when they have nestlings to feed, they collect a mouthful which they make up into a sort of little ball.