used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Inside the berry there is a stone; and in the stone my seed lies.
apple-tree
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
applesnounUS /ˈæpəlz/
plural of “apple” — fruit with red or yellow or green skin and sweet to tart crisp whitish flesh
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
berriesnounUS /ˈberiz/
plural of “berry” — any of numerous small and pulpy edible fruits; used as desserts or in making jams and jellies and preserves
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
berrynounUS /ˈberi/
any of numerous small and pulpy edible fruits; used as desserts or in making jams and jellies and preserves
From this reading "Inside the berry there is a stone; and in the stone my seed lies.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
blackbirdnounUS /ˈblækbərd/
any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
blackbird's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
blossomsnounUS /ˈblɑːsəmz/
plural of “blossom” — reproductive organ of angiosperm plants especially one having showy or colorful parts
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
dineverbUS /daɪn/
have supper; eat dinner
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
take in solid food
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Inside the berry there is a stone; and in the stone my seed lies.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading "Inside the berry there is a stone; and in the stone my seed lies.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
juicyadjectiveUS /ˈdʒuːsi/
full of juice
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
From this reading "Inside the berry there is a stone; and in the stone my seed lies.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
roused to anger
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
mistletoenounUS /ˈmɪsəltoʊ/
American plants closely resembling Old World mistletoe
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
mustn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
seednounUS /siːd/
a small hard fruit
From this reading "Inside the berry there is a stone; and in the stone my seed lies.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading Later on, I shall put forth little green blossoms.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading "Inside the berry there is a stone; and in the stone my seed lies.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Inside the berry there is a stone; and in the stone my seed lies.
They're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
precisely as stated
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
plural of “want” — a state of extreme poverty
From this reading "The blackbird is a very fine bird," said the apple-tree; "but, if he wants to dine off me, he can eat my own apples."
a Caucasian
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading They're not much to look at; but then the berries will come, beautiful, juicy white berries: the blackbird is quite mad on them."
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You mustn't think that I have berries for the blackbird's sake," said the mistletoe.
