Chapter XVI · The Lady of Muirisc

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

past form of “account” — be the sole or primary factor in the existence, acquisition, supply, or disposal of something

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

how long something has existed

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

North American republic containing 50 states - 48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

providing no shelter or sustenance

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

for the reason that

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

earlier than; in front of

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

the event consisting of the start of something

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

third-person singular of “belong” — be owned by; be in the possession of

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

on the far side of; further than

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

coated with black

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

plural of “boy” — a youthful male person

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

plural of “brain” — that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

the state of being with someone

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

separate with or as if with an instrument

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

having gaps or spaces

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

plural of “daughter” — a female human offspring

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

have an existence, be extant

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

compensation for a wrong

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

the experiencing of affective and emotional states

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

Not remembered; lapsed from memory.

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

come into the possession of something concrete or abstract

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

death of a person

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading Slow, too, in growth and ripening are the wits of the men of Kilmoe.

plural of “gull” — a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

plural of “hair” — a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

plural of “hamlet” — a community of people smaller than a village

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

perceive (sound) via the auditory sense

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

characteristic of humanity

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

plural of “inhabitant” — a person who inhabits a particular place

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

not close together in time

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

and nothing more

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

engage in

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

the force of workers available

From this reading Slow, too, in growth and ripening are the wits of the men of Kilmoe.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

immediately following in time or order

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

above and across; more than

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

very light colored; highly diluted with white

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

a local church community

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

relatively long in duration; tediously protracted

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

being or occurring in fact or actuality; having verified existence; not illusory

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

precisely, exactly

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

coming to full development; becoming mature

From this reading Slow, too, in growth and ripening are the wits of the men of Kilmoe.

the act of competing as for profit or a prize

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

express in words

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

sharp piercing cry

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

estrangement from god

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

yielding readily to pressure or weight

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

plural of “son” — a male human offspring

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

incapable of reproducing

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

damaged by storm

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

possessive form of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

push forcefully

From this reading It is an ancient and sterile and storm-beaten parish, this Kilmoe, thrust out in expiation of some forgotten sin or other to exist beyond the pale of human companionship.

move fast, noisily, and heavily

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

very small

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

showing sustained enthusiastic action with unflagging vitality

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

the quality of a person's voice

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading Slow, too, in growth and ripening are the wits of the men of Kilmoe.

move without being stable, as if threatening to fall

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

of imposing height; especially standing out above others

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

badly timed

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

plural of “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 Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

at the time that

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

marked by extreme lack of restraint or control

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading Its sons and daughters, scattered in tiny, isolated hamlets over its barren area, hear never a stranger’s voice--and their own speech is slow and low of tone because the real right to make a noise there belongs to the shrieking gulls and the wild, west wind and the towering, foam-fanged waves, which dashed themselves, in tireless rivalry with the thunder, against its cliffs.

in the company of; together with

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception

From this reading Slow, too, in growth and ripening are the wits of the men of Kilmoe.

an established custom

From this reading In the parish of Kilmoe--which they pronounce with a soft prolonged “moo-h,” like the murmuring call of one of their little bright-eyed, black-coated cows--the inhabitants are wont to say that the next parish is America.

actively engaged in paid work

From this reading They must have gray hairs before they are accounted more than boys; and when, from sheer old age they totter into the grave, the feeling of the parish is that they have been untimely cut off just as they were beginning to get their brains in fair working: order.