used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
conforming to your own liking or feelings or nature
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
baysnounUS /beɪz/
plural of “bay” — an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
blitheadjectiveUS /blaɪð/
lacking or showing a lack of due concern
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading What a bright merry world it was!
of surpassing excellence
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
buzzingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌzɪŋ/
noisy like the sound of a bee
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
cheeredverbUS /tʃɪrd/
past form of “cheer” — give encouragement to
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
chorusnounUS /ˈkɔːrəs/
any utterance produced simultaneously by a group
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
rid of obstructions
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
traveling across
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
distractionnounUS /dɪˈstrækʃən/
mental turmoil
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
FOOT-BRIDGE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE MEETING ON THE FOOT-BRIDGE.
set up or found
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
huesnounUS /hjuːz/
plural of “hue” — the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
insectsnounUS /ˈɪnsekts/
plural of “insect” — small air-breathing arthropod
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading What a bright merry world it was!
King'snounUS /kɪŋz/
possessive form of “king” — a male sovereign; ruler of a kingdom
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading THE MEETING ON THE FOOT-BRIDGE.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading What a bright merry world it was!
mirroredadjectiveUS /ˈmɪrərd/
like or characteristic of a mirror image
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
moatnounUS /moʊt/
ditch dug as a fortification and usually filled with water
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE MEETING ON THE FOOT-BRIDGE.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
ripplingnounUS /ˈrɪpəlɪŋ/
a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
United States professional baseball player famous for hitting home runs (1895-1948)
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
sightsnounUS /saɪts/
an optical instrument for aiding the eye in aiming, as on a firearm or surveying instrument
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
in the near future
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading As the sights and sounds of the new day greeted her, she felt a little cheered.
stilenounUS /staɪl/
an upright that is a member in a door or window frame
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
studdedadjectiveUS /ˈstʌdɪd/
dotted or adorned with or as with studs or nailheads; usually used in combination
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MEETING ON THE FOOT-BRIDGE.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
very small
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
towing-path
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Taking a short cut round by the moat, and crossing the stile above the King's Arms, Ruth soon gained the river towing-path.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
precisely as stated
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading What a bright merry world it was!
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What a bright merry world it was!
belonging to which person
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
in the company of; together with
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading What a bright merry world it was!
of very poor quality or condition
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading One must have been wretched indeed not to have found an agreeable distraction in the blithe bird chorus overhead, and the buzzing of the insects in the young grass studded with the early summer flowers, whose brilliant hues mirrored themselves in the clear water rippling up into tiny bays to her very feet.
