used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
(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 a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading At any rate, there was no help for it now, and so out the dragon had to go.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
Baxter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
plural of “beast” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
for the reason that
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
put or pin the blame on
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
brought into existence
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
rid of obstructions
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
DRAGONnounUS /ˈdræɡən/
a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
dragonsnounUS /ˈdræɡənz/
plural of “dragon” — a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
a young female
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading At any rate, there was no help for it now, and so out the dragon had to go.
GOODBYEnounUS /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/
a farewell remark
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading At any rate, there was no help for it now, and so out the dragon had to go.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
humming-bird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
and nothing more
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
by chance
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
mothersnounUS /ˈmʌðərz/
plural of “mother” — a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
not any; not one
From this reading At any rate, there was no help for it now, and so out the dragon had to go.
not one, and not any
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading At any rate, there was no help for it now, and so out the dragon had to go.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
shield from danger, injury, destruction, or damage
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit
From this reading At any rate, there was no help for it now, and so out the dragon had to go.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
have in common
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading At any rate, there was no help for it now, and so out the dragon had to go.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
in or at that place or location
From this reading At any rate, there was no help for it now, and so out the dragon had to go.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
very small
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
precisely as stated
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
viciousadjectiveUS /ˈvɪʃəs/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading To her dragons were vicious, ugly beasts and she just didn’t have imagination enough to see one of them smile.
at the time that
From this reading Maybe Mrs. Baxter gave all her own share of imagination to the children when they were born and had none left for herself, and maybe it was because when she was a little girl she had been taught to fear dragons.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading GOODBYE, DRAGON Now you really can’t blame Mrs. Baxter, if you look at her side of it.
the one or ones belonging to the person spoken to
From this reading She was a very, very fond mother and wanted to protect her children from all harm, which is not at all unusual for very, very fond mothers from tiny humming-bird mothers clear up to mothers like yours and mine.
