used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
AbbeynounUS /ˈæbi/
a church associated with a monastery or convent
From this reading In the spring the workmen were to set to work at the task of renovating the Abbey.
Aghadoe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was perfect peace and happiness at Aghadoe.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was perfect peace and happiness at Aghadoe.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
clumpsnounUS /klʌmps/
plural of “clump” — a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
an admission of misdeeds or faults
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
droopingadjectiveUS /ˈdruːpɪŋ/
weak from exhaustion
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
godmothernounUS /ˈɡɑːdmʌðər/
any woman who serves as a sponsor for a child at baptism
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
state of well-being characterized by emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy
From this reading There was perfect peace and happiness at Aghadoe.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
LentnounUS /lent/
a period of 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
LukenounUS /luːk/
(New Testament) the Apostle closely associated with St. Paul and traditionally assumed to be the author of the third Gospel
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
joined in matrimony
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
neighbouringverbUS /ˈneɪbərɪŋ/
-ing form of “neighbour” — live or be located as a neighbor
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading There was perfect peace and happiness at Aghadoe.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading There was perfect peace and happiness at Aghadoe.
pushingnounUS /ˈpʊʃɪŋ/
the act of applying force in order to move something away
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
with low volume
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
renovatingverbUS /ˈrenəveɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “renovate” — restore to a previous or better condition
From this reading In the spring the workmen were to set to work at the task of renovating the Abbey.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading In the spring the workmen were to set to work at the task of renovating the Abbey.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
shrubberies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
snowdrops
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
the season of growth
From this reading In the spring the workmen were to set to work at the task of renovating the Abbey.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading In the spring the workmen were to set to work at the task of renovating the Abbey.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
in or at that place or location
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading Uncle Luke and my godmother were to be married before Lent, quietly.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was perfect peace and happiness at Aghadoe.
structure consisting of a sloping way down to the water from the place where ships are built or repaired
From this reading We had settled down to the new ways of life as though the old had not been.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
a Caucasian
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading In the spring the workmen were to set to work at the task of renovating the Abbey.
workmennounUS /ˈwɜːrkmɪn/
plural of “workman” — an employee who performs manual or industrial labor
From this reading In the spring the workmen were to set to work at the task of renovating the Abbey.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading CONFESSION Christmas passed and the dark days turned round to New Year, and New Year came and there were great clumps of snowdrops pushing up their delicate, drooping heads in all the shrubberies, neighbouring the patches of snow, for we had had a white Christmas and a white New Year.
