used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
(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 I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
blackberriesnounUS /ˈblækberiz/
plural of “blackberry” — large sweet black or very dark purple edible aggregate fruit of any of various bushes of the genus Rubus
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
placed in a grave
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
cowslip-balls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
daisy-chains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
DamenounUS /deɪm/
informal terms for a (young) woman
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
DAME'SnounUS /deɪmz/
possessive form of “dame” — informal terms for a (young) woman
From this reading THE DAME'S DEPARTURE.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
the act of departing
From this reading THE DAME'S DEPARTURE.
Desley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
elm-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
brought together in one place
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
glowingadjectiveUS /ˈɡloʊɪŋ/
highly enthusiastic
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
haynounUS /heɪ/
grass mowed and cured for use as fodder
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
hay-cocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
the sound of laughing
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
mother'snounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
possessive form of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
patternounUS /ˈpætər/
plausible glib talk (especially useful to a salesperson)
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
(of games) engaged in
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
ripeadjectiveUS /raɪp/
fully developed or matured and ready to be eaten or used
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
ruraladjectiveUS /ˈrʊrəl/
living in or characteristic of farming or country life
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
utter in a loud voice; talk in a loud voice (usually denoting characteristic manner of speaking)
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
sparrowsnounUS /ˈsperoʊz/
plural of “sparrow” — any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insects
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
squirrelsnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəlz/
plural of “squirrel” — a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
express in words
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DAME'S DEPARTURE.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A merry life had Dame Desley and her four children led in their rural home.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
thoughtlessadjectiveUS /ˈθɔːtləs/
showing lack of careful thought
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
up to a particular time
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The sound of their cheerful voices, the patter of their little feet, the laugh, the shout, and the song, had been heard from morning till night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading I will not stop to tell of all the daisy-chains and cowslip-balls made by the children under the big elm-tree that grew on their mother's lawn; or how they gathered ripe blackberries in autumn; or in the glowing days of summer played about the hay-cocks, and buried one another in the hay.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Their lives were thoughtless and gay, like those of the sparrows in the garden, or the merry little squirrels in the wood.
