used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
(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 "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
disposed or placed in a particular kind of order
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
lacking funds
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
feathersnounUS /ˈfeðərz/
plural of “feather” — the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "It's a very good nest for a rabbit to make."
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
It's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "It's a very good nest for a rabbit to make."
jiggily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
engage in
From this reading "It's a very good nest for a rabbit to make."
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
nestnounUS /nest/
a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
and nothing more
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
pawsnounUS /pɔːz/
plural of “paw” — a clawed foot of an animal especially a quadruped
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
rabbitnounUS /ˈræbət/
any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food
From this reading "It's a very good nest for a rabbit to make."
precisely, exactly
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
sticksnounUS /stɪks/
plural of “stick” — an implement consisting of a length of wood
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "It's a very good nest for a rabbit to make."
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
toothpicksnounUS /ˈtuːθpɪks/
plural of “toothpick” — pick consisting of a small strip of wood or plastic; used to pick food from between the teeth
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
precisely as stated
From this reading "It's a very good nest for a rabbit to make."
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading Then he arranged them as well as he could in a sort of hollow, like a tea cup.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Why, he took some big sticks and he jumped a jiggily dance up and down on them with his sharp paws, and broke them up as fine as toothpicks for the nest.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
WrennounUS /ren/
English architect who designed more than fifty London churches (1632-1723)
From this reading "Oh, if we only had some feathers now, we would be all right," said Mrs. Wren.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading He couldn't find any short and small enough, so what do you think he did?
