used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
birthdaynounUS /ˈbɜːrθdeɪ/
an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
birthdaysnounUS /ˈbɜːrθdeɪz/
plural of “birthday” — an anniversary of the day on which a person was born (or the celebration of it)
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
a boy or man
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
a young person of either sex
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
Chris
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Listen, Chris," he said.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
coachmannounUS /ˈkoʊtʃmən/
a man who drives a coach (or carriage)
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
Father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
dismiss from the mind; stop remembering
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
frighteningadjectiveUS /ˈfraɪtənɪŋ/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
death of a person
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
gruffadjectiveUS /ɡrʌf/
brusque and surly and forbidding
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
hear with intention
From this reading "Listen, Chris," he said.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
a particular point in time
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
Naylor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
and nothing more
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
presentsnounUS /ˈprezənts/
plural of “present” — the period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
on the contrary
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Listen, Chris," he said.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
past form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
at the time that
From this reading When I told Father this he laughed, but a moment later he grew quite grave.
which person or people
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
hope for; have a wish
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
in the company of; together with
From this reading And then he took me on his knee--I was a small chap then--and told me things that made me forget old Naylor, and wish and wish that Mother could have stayed with us.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Old Naylor, who was Father's coachman, and had a great gruff voice that came from his boots and was rather frightening, used to ask how I expected to grow up without proper birthdays, and I thought I might have to stay little always.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The Fairy Ring The worst of being a Christmas Child is that you don't get birthday presents, but only Christmas ones.
