used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
beaknounUS /biːk/
beaklike mouth of animals other than birds (e.g., turtles)
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
cause to be bored
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
BravelyadverbUS /ˈbreɪvli/
in a courageous manner
From this reading "Bravely spoken, little friend," said the Eagle kindly.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
EaglenounUS /ˈiːɡəl/
any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight
From this reading "Bravely spoken, little friend," said the Eagle kindly.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
errandnounUS /ˈerənd/
a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
firebrandnounUS /ˈfaɪərbrænd/
a piece of wood that has been burned or is burning
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
forfeitedadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrfɪtɪd/
surrendered as a penalty
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading "Bravely spoken, little friend," said the Eagle kindly.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
hangsnounUS /hæŋz/
plural of “hang” — a special way of doing something
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading "Bravely spoken, little friend," said the Eagle kindly.
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
plural of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
immediately past
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Bravely spoken, little friend," said the Eagle kindly.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
pluckedadjectiveUS /plʌkt/
of a stringed instrument; sounded with the fingers or a plectrum
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Bravely spoken, little friend," said the Eagle kindly.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading "Bravely spoken, little friend," said the Eagle kindly.
sturdilyadverb
in a sturdy manner
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
having succeeded or being marked by a favorable outcome
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
in a swift manner
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Bravely spoken, little friend," said the Eagle kindly.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
wanting in physical strength
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
welfarenounUS /ˈwelfer/
governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading And weak and delicate though he was, he flew and he flew up and up so sturdily that at last he reached the sun, whence he plucked a firebrand and bore it swiftly in his beak back toward the earth.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
be the winner in a contest or competition; be victorious
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
the words that are spoken
From this reading The brave little bird set out upon his errand without further words.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "I myself would go but that I am the King, and kings must not risk the lives upon which hangs the welfare of their people.
WrennounUS /ren/
English architect who designed more than fifty London churches (1632-1723)
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Go you, little Wren, and if you are successful you will win back the respect of your brothers which you have forfeited."
