used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
Alba
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
amidprepositionUS /əˈmɪd/
in the middle of; surrounded by
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
betwixtprepositionUS /biˈtwɪkst/
an old word for “between”
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
billowsnounUS /ˈbɪloʊz/
plural of “billow” — a large sea wave
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Of a truth, there was keening and lamentation and sorrow by the shores of the lough of Darvra.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
Darvra
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of a truth, there was keening and lamentation and sorrow by the shores of the lough of Darvra.
the first light of day
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading From that day they were severed from those who loved them.
droopedverbUS /druːpt/
past form of “droop” — droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
ErinnounUS /ˈerɪn/
an early name of Ireland that is now used in poetry
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
exileverbUS /ˈeɡzaɪl/
expel from a country
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
floatedverbUS /ˈfloʊtəd/
past form of “float” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
flowsnounUS /floʊz/
plural of “flow” — the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
fro
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From that day they were severed from those who loved them.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Their home now was the running wave.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
keening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Of a truth, there was keening and lamentation and sorrow by the shores of the lough of Darvra.
lamentationnoun
a cry of sorrow and grief
From this reading Of a truth, there was keening and lamentation and sorrow by the shores of the lough of Darvra.
Lirnoun
the sea personified; father of Manannan; corresponds to Welsh Llyr
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
loughnounUS /laʊ/
a long narrow (nearly landlocked) cove in Ireland
From this reading Of a truth, there was keening and lamentation and sorrow by the shores of the lough of Darvra.
held dear
From this reading From that day they were severed from those who loved them.
Moyle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Their home now was the running wave.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading Their home now was the running wave.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
severedadjectiveUS /ˈsevərd/
detached by cutting
From this reading From that day they were severed from those who loved them.
shoresnounUS /ʃɔːrz/
plural of “shore” — the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading Of a truth, there was keening and lamentation and sorrow by the shores of the lough of Darvra.
an emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
stealverbUS /stiːl/
take without the owner's consent
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
stormyadjectiveUS /ˈstɔːrmi/
(especially of weather) affected or characterized by storms or commotion
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading From that day they were severed from those who loved them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading From that day they were severed from those who loved them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
torchnounUS /tɔːrtʃ/
a light usually carried in the hand; consists of some flammable substance
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
tossedverbUS /tɔːst/
past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading Of a truth, there was keening and lamentation and sorrow by the shores of the lough of Darvra.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading In darkness and loneliness and sorrow, they floated close to each other, waiting for the dawn to steal into that first night of bitter exile.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Their home now was the running wave.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Their home now was the running wave.
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading From that day they were severed from those who loved them.
in or at the place that
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
which person or people
From this reading From that day they were severed from those who loved them.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading Before the torch of a stormy sun sank that night amid the tossed green billows of the Moyle, there where the sea flows to and fro betwixt Erin and Alba, the children of Lir drooped their weary wings.
