used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A tiny, fragile, half-animate bean.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
installation from which a military force initiates operations
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
beak-mouth
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
beannounUS /biːn/
any of various edible seeds of plants of the family Leguminosae used for food
From this reading A tiny, fragile, half-animate bean.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
biteverbUS /baɪt/
to grip, cut off, or tear with or as if with the teeth or jaws
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
brought into existence
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
bright-eye
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
fragileadjectiveUS /ˈfrædʒəl/
easily broken or damaged or destroyed
From this reading A tiny, fragile, half-animate bean.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
half-animate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A tiny, fragile, half-animate bean.
hawk-beak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
heaveverbUS /hiːv/
utter a sound, as with obvious effort
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
herbagenoun
succulent herbaceous vegetation of pasture land
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)
From this reading To take your first solitary bite And move on your slow, solitary hunt.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
insectnounUS /ˈɪnsekt/
small air-breathing arthropod
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
a heavy ductile magnetic metallic element; is silver-white in pure form but readily rusts; used in construction and tools and armament; plays a role in the transport of oxygen by the blood
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
lapsedadjectiveUS /læpst/
no longer active or practicing
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading To take your first solitary bite And move on your slow, solitary hunt.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
shellnounUS /ʃel/
ammunition consisting of a cylindrical metal casing containing an explosive charge and a projectile; fired from a large gun
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
skinnyadjectiveUS /ˈskɪni/
being very thin
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading To take your first solitary bite And move on your slow, solitary hunt.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
carry out
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
very small
From this reading A tiny, fragile, half-animate bean.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
tortoisenounUS /ˈtɔːrtəs/
usually herbivorous land turtles having clawed elephant-like limbs; worldwide in arid area except Australia and Antarctica
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
the topmost one of two
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading To open your tiny beak-mouth, that looks as if it would never open, Like some iron door; To lift the upper hawk-beak from the lower base And reach your skinny little neck And take your first bite at some dim bit of herbage, Alone, small insect, Tiny bright-eye, Slow one.
but in spite of that
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You know what it is to be born alone, Baby tortoise!
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The first day to heave your feet little by little from the shell, Not yet awake, And remain lapsed on earth, Not quite alive.
