used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
equally
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
move towards
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
beeches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
birchnounUS /bɜːrtʃ/
hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
diviningverbUS /dəˈvaɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “divine” — perceive intuitively or through some inexplicable perceptive powers
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
essentialadjectiveUS /eˈsenʃəl/
absolutely necessary; vitally necessary
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
something regarded with special favor or liking
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
plural of “fellow” — a boy or man
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
inaccurateadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnækjərət/
not accurate
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
individualitynounUS /ˌɪndɪvɪdʒuːˈælɪti/
the quality of being individual
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
an occurrence of something
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
lessonsnounUS /ˈlesənz/
plural of “lesson” — a unit of instruction
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
limenounUS /laɪm/
a caustic substance produced by heating limestone
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
ludicrousadjectiveUS /ˈluːdəkrəs/
broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
not any; not one
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
oaknounUS /oʊk/
the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
many times at short intervals
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
make a painting
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
coated with paint
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
paintingnounUS /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/
graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
perceptionnounUS /pərˈsepʃən/
the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
PersonalitynounUS /ˌpɜːrsəˈnælɪti/
the complex of all the attributes--behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental--that characterize a unique individual
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
puzzleverbUS /ˈpʌzəl/
be a mystery or bewildering to
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
plural of “quality” — an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
renderingnounUS /ˈrendərɪŋ/
a performance of a musical composition or a dramatic role etc.
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
unique or specific to a person or thing or category
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He understood them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading People asked him down to paint a favorite lime or silver birch, for he caught the individuality of a tree as some catch the individuality of a horse.
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 He painted trees as by some special divining instinct of their essential qualities.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
fully apprehended as to purport or meaning or explanation
From this reading He understood them.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
wildlyadverbUS /ˈwaɪldli/
to an extreme or greatly exaggerated degree
From this reading How he managed it was something of a puzzle, for he never had painting lessons, his drawing was often wildly inaccurate, and, while his perception of a Tree Personality was true and vivid, his rendering of it might almost approach the ludicrous.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading He knew why in an oak forest, for instance, each individual was utterly distinct from its fellows, and why no two beeches in the whole world were alike.
