used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
how long something has existed
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
beesnounUS /biːz/
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
butterfliesnounUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪz/
plural of “butterfly” — diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
casuallyadverbUS /ˈkæʒəwəli/
not methodically or according to plan
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
pleasing or delighting
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
condescendinglyadverb
with condescension; in a patronizing manner
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
the prevailing context that influences the performance or the outcome of a process
From this reading The conditions seemed ideal.
cooedverbUS /kuːd/
past form of “coo” — speak softly or lovingly
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
CyrilnounUS /ˈsɪrəl/
Greek missionary; the invention of the Cyrillic alphabet is attributed to him (826-869)
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
DaphnenounUS /ˈdæfni/
any of several ornamental shrubs with shiny mostly evergreen leaves and clusters of small bell-shaped flowers
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
dartedverbUS /ˈdɑːrtɪd/
past form of “dart” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
dovesnounUS /dʌvz/
plural of “dove” — any of numerous small pigeons
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
divisible by two
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
FosterverbUS /ˈfɑːstər/
promote the growth of
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
hummed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
idealadjectiveUS /aɪˈdiːl/
conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
From this reading The conditions seemed ideal.
illustratedverbUS /ˈɪləstreɪtəd/
past form of “illustrate” — clarify by giving an example of
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
improbableadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈprɑːbəbəl/
not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
industriouslyadverb
in an industrious manner
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
irresponsibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪrəˈspɑːnsəbəl/
showing lack of care for consequences
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
PeepingverbUS /ˈpiːpɪŋ/
-ing form of “peep” — look furtively
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
past form of “remind” — put in the mind of someone
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
reticentadjectiveUS /ˈretɪsənt/
temperamentally disinclined to talk
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The conditions seemed ideal.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading ENGAGED Daphne and Cyril sat in the garden together.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
precisely as stated
From this reading Indeed, they had very much the charming, almost improbable air of the figures in a Summer Number of an illustrated paper.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading It was a lovely afternoon; the sun was hot, but a gay irresponsible little west wind stirred the trees; bees hummed industriously, butterflies darted casually about among the few flowers, and even the reticent doves cooed from time to time, condescendingly.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Peeping through the blind Mrs. Foster thought the two young people made a perfect picture, and was reminded of the Golden Age.
