used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
alighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
BEESnounUS /biːz/
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
next to; at the side of
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/
not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
bushyadjectiveUS /ˈbʊʃi/
used of hair; thick and poorly groomed
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
Ellestad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
hammocknounUS /ˈhæmək/
a small natural hill
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
and nothing more
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
meshesnounUS /ˈmeʃɪz/
plural of “mesh” — the number of openings per linear inch of a screen; measures size of particles
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
Phil
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
having a point
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
saucernounUS /ˈsɔːsər/
something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
an educational institution
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
slippernounUS /ˈslɪpər/
low footwear that can be slipped on and off easily; usually worn indoors
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
smartadjectiveUS /smɑːrt/
showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
sugarnounUS /ˈʃʊɡər/
a white crystalline carbohydrate used as a sweetener and preservative
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
toesnounUS /toʊz/
plural of “toe” — one of the digits of the foot
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
the quality of a person's voice
From this reading "I put it there," she said, in a low tone, as if afraid of disturbing the bees.
umbrella-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
look attentively
From this reading "Mr. Ellestad has been telling us how smart they are, and I wanted to watch them do some of their strange things myself.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What is it, Mary?" called Phil, as he came up and threw himself down on the grass beside her, in the shade of the bushy umbrella-tree.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She pointed to a saucer of sugar and water just below her, on the edge of which several bees had alighted.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE SCHOOL OF THE BEES WITH her slipper toes caught in the meshes of the hammock to keep her from falling out, and with her head hanging over nearly to the ground, Mary lay watching something beneath her, with breathless interest.
