used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "No more, clear streams and fairy feet!
Areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
rid of obstructions
From this reading "No more, clear streams and fairy feet!
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
compassnounUS /ˈkʌmpəs/
navigational instrument for finding directions
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
DrainsnounUS /dreɪnz/
plural of “drain” — emptying something accomplished by allowing liquid to run out of it
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
take in liquids
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
take in solid food
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
a small being, human in form, playful and having magical powers
From this reading "No more, clear streams and fairy feet!
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading "No more, clear streams and fairy feet!
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
grieveverbUS /ɡriːv/
feel grief
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
grovesnounUS /ɡroʊvz/
United States general who served as military director of the atomic bomb project (1896-1970)
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
go away from a place
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
the force of workers available
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
merchant'snounUS /ˈmɜːrtʃənts/
possessive form of “merchant” — a businessperson engaged in retail trade
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading "No more, clear streams and fairy feet!
mortalsnounUS /ˈmɔːrtəlz/
plural of “mortal” — a human being
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
not any; not one
From this reading "No more, clear streams and fairy feet!
a brief written record
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
go across or through
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
ReelverbUS /riːl/
walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
revellersnounUS /ˈrevələrz/
plural of “reveller” — a celebrant who shares in a noisy party
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
scalesnounUS /skeɪlz/
plural of “scale” — an ordered reference standard
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
song-bird's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
spatenounUS /speɪt/
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
streamsnounUS /striːmz/
plural of “stream” — a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading "No more, clear streams and fairy feet!
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
strivingnounUS /ˈstraɪvɪŋ/
an effortful attempt to attain a goal
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
in or at that place or location
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Are there no mortals clean and strong, Or do they pass me by?
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading "Instead of every song-bird's note I know the scales a merchant's throat Can compass.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
turtlesnounUS /ˈtɜːrtəlz/
plural of “turtle” — a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
in or at the place that
From this reading I little thought that I should leave For this the groves where turtles grieve Far closer to the sky.
which person or people
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading But through my mouth the striving street Drains in brown spate the men who eat And drink and curse and die; And out of me the whole night long Reel revellers--O God, their song!...
