used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
in the past
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
(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 As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
the time when something begins (especially life)
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
brought into existence
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
the two together, not just one
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
COnounUS /koʊ/
an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon
From this reading LONDON: KEGAN PAUL TRENCH TRÜBNER & CO.]
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
the Crown (or the reigning monarch) as the symbol of the power and authority of a monarchy
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
a female human offspring
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
Eight-white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
feathersnounUS /ˈfeðərz/
plural of “feather” — the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
forester's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
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 One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
and nothing more
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
KEGAN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LONDON: KEGAN PAUL TRENCH TRÜBNER & CO.]
a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading LONDON: KEGAN PAUL TRENCH TRÜBNER & CO.]
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
held dear
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eight and one
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
not any; not one
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
not one, and not any
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
nursedadjectiveUS /nɜːrst/
(of an infant) breast-fed
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
nursingnounUS /ˈnɜːrsɪŋ/
the work of caring for the sick or injured or infirm
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
and nothing more
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading LONDON: KEGAN PAUL TRENCH TRÜBNER & CO.]
peahens
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
a male human offspring
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
in the near future
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
in or at that place or location
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
TRENCHnounUS /trentʃ/
a ditch dug as a fortification having a parapet of the excavated earth
From this reading LONDON: KEGAN PAUL TRENCH TRÜBNER & CO.]
TRÜBNER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading LONDON: KEGAN PAUL TRENCH TRÜBNER & CO.]
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading One night the Queen had a dream that made the half of her hair turn grey.
twinsnounUS /twɪnz/
(mineralogy) two interwoven crystals that are mirror images on each other
From this reading The forester’s wife had just given birth to a little daughter of her own; but she loved both children equally and nursed them together like twins.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
be dressed in
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
at the time that
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
which person or people
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading As soon as he was born his mother gave him to the forester’s wife to be nursed; for she herself had to wear her crown all day and had no time for nursing.
in the company of; together with
From this reading _Eight-white peahens went down to the gate:_ _“Wait!” they said, “little sister, wait!”_ _They covered her up with feathers so fine;_ _And none went out, when there went back nine._ A long time ago there lived a King and a Queen, who had an only son.
