Chapter II

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _May Day_, 1638.

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

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

(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 She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

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

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

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

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

cleanse the entire body

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

the act of blending components together thoroughly

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

terminate

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

marked by continuous change or effective action

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

a distinguishing emblem

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There I met Lettice Davenant with her maidens.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading _May Day_, 1638.

water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

opinion or judgment

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

a person you know well and regard with affection and trust

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

based on pretense; deceptively pleasing

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

coins made of gold

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading There I met Lettice Davenant with her maidens.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

and nothing more

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

a garment resembling a tunic that was worn by men in the Middle Ages

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

set down according to a plan

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There I met Lettice Davenant with her maidens.

-ing form of “lift” — raise from a lower to a higher position

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

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

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

a strong positive emotion of regard and affection

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

held dear

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

plural of “maiden” — an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

From this reading There I met Lettice Davenant with her maidens.

used to say something is possible, or to give permission

From this reading _May Day_, 1638.

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading There I met Lettice Davenant with her maidens.

the one or ones belonging to the person speaking

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

belonging to the person speaking

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

undergarment worn under a skirt

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

being the one previously mentioned or spoken of

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

a protective covering (as for a knife or sword)

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

having a pattern of dots

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

the rays of the sun

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

plural of “tangle” — a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

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

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There I met Lettice Davenant with her maidens.

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

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

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

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

plural of “violet” — any of numerous low-growing violas with small flowers

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

(of hair) having waves

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading "This morning, before break of day, I went to bathe my face in the May dew by the Lady Well.

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

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

covered or soaked with a liquid such as water

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.

past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

in the company of; together with

From this reading There I met Lettice Davenant with her maidens.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading And she laid her soft, little hand in mine, and said her mother loved mine, and she wished I would love her, and be her friend.

made or constructed by interlacing threads or strips of material or other elements into a whole

From this reading She was dressed in a kirtle of grass-green silk, with a blue taffetas petticoat, and her eyes were like wet violets, and her brown hair like wavy tangles of soft glossy unspun silk, specked and woven with gold, and she looked like a sweet May flower, just lifting itself out of its green sheath into the sunshine, and all the colours changing and blending into each other, as they do in the flowers.