used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
affectionateadjectiveUS /əˈfekʃənət/
having or displaying warmth or affection
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
belatedadjectiveUS /bɪˈleɪtɪd/
after the expected or usual time; delayed
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
brutaladjectiveUS /ˈbruːtəl/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
catsnounUS /kæts/
plural of “cat” — feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
crueltynounUS /ˈkruːlti/
a cruel act; a deliberate infliction of pain and suffering
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
depositedverbUS /dəˈpɑːzɪtɪd/
past form of “deposit” — put, fix, force, or implant
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
having ones attention or mind or energy engaged
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
a competitor thought likely to win
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
any of various mostly cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates usually having scales and breathing through gills
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
fledglingadjectiveUS /ˈfledʒlɪŋ/
(of a young bird) having acquired its flight feathers
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
forbearingadjective
showing patient and unruffled self-control and restraint under adversity; slow to retaliate or express resentment
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
a long fixed look
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
hinderverbUS /ˈhɪndər/
be a hindrance or obstacle to
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
initiateverbUS /ˌɪˈnɪʃieɪt/
bring into being
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
kittennounUS /ˈkɪtən/
young domestic cat
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions on one's way of life.
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
engage in
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
pawsnounUS /pɔːz/
plural of “paw” — a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
participate in games or sport
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
pleasuresnounUS /ˈpleʒərz/
plural of “pleasure” — a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
profitlessadjective
without profit or reward
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
-ing form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
regrettingverbUS /rɪˈɡretɪŋ/
inflected form of “regret” — feel remorse for; feel sorry for; be contrite about
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
plural of “remark” — a statement that expresses a personal opinion or belief or adds information
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
restoredverbUS /rɪˈstɔːrd/
past form of “restore” — return to its original or usable and functioning condition
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
no longer active in your work or profession
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
cut with a saw
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
scathingadjectiveUS /ˈskeɪðɪŋ/
marked by harshly abusive criticism
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
shiveringnounUS /ˈʃɪvərɪŋ/
a sensation of cold that often marks the start of an infection and the development of a fever
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
shyverbUS /ʃaɪ/
start suddenly, as from fright
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
a male human offspring
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
make steady
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
sympatheticadjectiveUS /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/
of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
a special situation
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
toiletnounUS /ˈtɔɪlət/
a room or building equipped with one or more toilets
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
having come into contact
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
tuckedadjectiveUS /tʌkt/
having tucked or being tucked
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
unhurtadjectiveUS /ənˈhɜːrt/
not injured or harmed
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
unmovedadjectiveUS /ənˈmuːvd/
emotionally unmoved
From this reading He was quite unmoved when we took it away and restored it to a profitless liberty, with a few scathing remarks on the cruelty of cats.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
at the time that
From this reading We thought it was a dead bird, and though regretting the fact, did not hinder her when she deposited it before her favourite kitten, a shy, grey creature, and retired to the lap of a forbearing friend to make her toilet.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading But while she was thus engaged we saw that the thing she had brought in was a shivering little bird, a belated fledgling, alive and unhurt.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It is so nice and affectionate of a father to initiate his little son into the pleasures of sport and show him how to play a fish, but quite another thing for a brutal cat to show her kitten how to play with a live bird--a cat, indeed, from whom we should have expected a sympathetic imagination!
in the company of; together with
From this reading The grey kitten had not touched it, but with paws tucked under him was regarding it with a cold, steady gaze.
