used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
a-calling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
(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 All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
body'snounUS /ˈbɑːdiz/
possessive form of “body” — the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
uncastrated adult male of domestic cattle
From this reading A BULL.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
dearly loved
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
Death'snounUS /deθs/
possessive form of “death” — the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
double-knocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
fatesnounUS /feɪts/
plural of “fate” — an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
provide as food
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
the soft tissue of the body of a vertebrate: mainly muscle tissue and fat
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
frailadjectiveUS /freɪl/
physically weak
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
for this reason
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
hourlyadjectiveUS /ˈaʊrli/
occurring every hour or payable by the hour
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
knellverbUS /nel/
ring as in announcing death
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
take the midday meal
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
reflectverbUS /rɪˈflekt/
manifest or bring back
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
express in words
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
in the near future
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
having a supporting base
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
summon'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
status with respect to the relations between people or groups
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
There's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
They're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
turn'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
up-stairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And when my body’s turn’d to clay And dear friends hear my knell, O let them give a sigh and say-- I hear the up-stairs bell.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
We're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Our lives are built so frail and poor, On sand and not on rocks, We’re hourly standing at Death’s door-- There’s some one double-knocks.
at the time that
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
wormsnounUS /wɜːrmz/
plural of “worm” — any of numerous relatively small elongated soft-bodied animals especially of the phyla Annelida and Chaetognatha and Nematoda and Nemertea and Platyhelminthes; also many insect larvae
From this reading All human days have settled terms, Our fates we cannot force; This flesh of mine will feed the worms-- They’re come to lunch of course.
a late time of life
From this reading When I reflect with serious sense, While years and years run on, How soon I may be summon’d hence-- There’s cook a-calling John.
