used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
(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 As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading But who’s to crop me another new hat, or grow me another new gown?
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
Aurory
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
batheverbUS /beɪð/
cleanse the entire body
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
next to; at the side of
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
blowsnounUS /bloʊz/
plural of “blow” — a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
bowsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bow” — a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
bramblesnounUS /ˈbræmbəlz/
plural of “bramble” — any of various rough thorny shrubs or vines
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
branchingadjectiveUS /ˈbræntʃɪŋ/
having branches
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
brushingnounUS /ˈbrʌʃɪŋ/
the act of brushing your teeth
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For you can’t take a shilling fare with a plough as you do with the hackneys in town.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
cropnounUS /krɑːp/
the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading But who’s to crop me another new hat, or grow me another new gown?
cropsnounUS /krɑːps/
plural of “crop” — the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
dewnounUS /duː/
water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
draggle-tail
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
dropsnounUS /drɑːps/
plural of “drop” — a shape that is spherical and small
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
drown'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
duck'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
eglantinenounUS /ˈeɡləntaɪn/
Eurasian rose with prickly stems and fragrant leaves and bright pink flowers followed by scarlet hips
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
farenounUS /fer/
an agenda of things to do
From this reading For you can’t take a shilling fare with a plough as you do with the hackneys in town.
farmersnounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/
plural of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading But who’s to crop me another new hat, or grow me another new gown?
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
hackneys
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For you can’t take a shilling fare with a plough as you do with the hackneys in town.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
hatsnounUS /hæts/
plural of “hat” — headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
hedgeverbUS /hedʒ/
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
hitchingverbUS /ˈhɪtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “hitch” — to hook or entangle
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
a narrow way or road
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
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 As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But who’s to crop me another new hat, or grow me another new gown?
come together
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
nastyadjectiveUS /ˈnæsti/
offensive or even (of persons) malicious
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
nettlesnounUS /ˈnetəlz/
plural of “nettle” — any of numerous plants having stinging hairs that cause skin irritation on contact (especially of the genus Urtica or family Urticaceae)
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading But who’s to crop me another new hat, or grow me another new gown?
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
on one occasion
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
pearlsnounUS /pɜːrlz/
plural of “pearl” — a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
pearlyadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrli/
of a white the color of pearls
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
peltedverbUS /ˈpeltɪd/
past form of “pelt” — cast, hurl, or throw repeatedly with some missile
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
pickingnounUS /ˈpɪkɪŋ/
the quantity of a crop that is harvested
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
ploughnounUS /plaʊ/
a group of seven bright stars in the constellation Ursa Major
From this reading For you can’t take a shilling fare with a plough as you do with the hackneys in town.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
ruraladjectiveUS /ˈrʊrəl/
living in or characteristic of farming or country life
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
express in words
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
scratchverbUS /skrætʃ/
cause friction
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
shillingnounUS /ˈʃɪlɪŋ/
the basic unit of money in Uganda; equal to 100 cents
From this reading For you can’t take a shilling fare with a plough as you do with the hackneys in town.
a particular situation
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
showernounUS /ˈʃaʊər/
a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
sixpennyadjective
of trifling worth
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
snatchverbUS /snætʃ/
to grasp hastily or eagerly
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
sopsnounUS /sɑːps/
piece of solid food for dipping in a liquid
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
stingverbUS /stɪŋ/
cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
express a supposition
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
Swithin's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
carry out
From this reading For you can’t take a shilling fare with a plough as you do with the hackneys in town.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
thornnounUS /θɔːrn/
something that causes irritation and annoyance
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
commonly the lowest molding at the base of a column
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
be dressed in
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
wetted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
whatever's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
who's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But who’s to crop me another new hat, or grow me another new gown?
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then I’ve rose with the sun, to go brushing away at the first early pearly dew, And to meet Aurory, or whatever’s her name, and I always got wetted through; My shoes are like sops, and I caught a bad cold, and a nice draggle-tail to my gown, That’s not the way that we bathe our feet, or wear our pearls, up in town!
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading As for picking flowers, I have tried at a hedge, sweet eglantine roses to snatch, But, mercy on us! how nettles will sting, and how the long brambles do scratch; Beside hitching my hat on a nasty thorn that tore all the bows from the crown, One may walk long enough without hats branching off, or losing one’s bows about town.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
you're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
used when the person spoken to is also the object of the action
From this reading But worse than that, in a long rural walk, suppose that it blows up for rain, And all at once you discover yourself in a real St. Swithin’s Lane; And while you’re running all duck’d and drown’d, and pelted with sixpenny drops, “Fine weather,” you hear the farmers say; “a nice growing shower for the crops!”
