used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
Ardmuirland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But children are changeful.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
confined by bonds
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But children are changeful.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
chainsnounUS /tʃeɪnz/
metal shackles; for hands or legs
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
changefuladjective
such that alteration is possible; having a marked tendency to change
From this reading But children are changeful.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading But children are changeful.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
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 Winter set in that year unusually early.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Winter set in that year unusually early.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
pondnounUS /pɑːnd/
a small lake
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
schoolboynounUS /ˈskuːlbɔɪ/
a boy attending school
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
schoolhousenounUS /ˈskuːlhaʊs/
a building where young people receive education
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Winter set in that year unusually early.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
slidenounUS /slaɪd/
a small flat rectangular piece of glass on which specimens can be mounted for microscopic study
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
sportnounUS /spɔːrt/
an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Winter set in that year unusually early.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Nothing could more delight the heart of a schoolboy, and those of Ardmuirland were in their element.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
unusuallyadverbUS /əˈnjuːʒuːəli/
to a remarkable degree or extent
From this reading Winter set in that year unusually early.
precisely as stated
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a small, shallow pond close by the schoolhouse, and there they were able to slide and sport about to their hearts' content.
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 At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading At the beginning of December earth and water were bound in the chains of a very hard frost.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Winter set in that year unusually early.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Winter set in that year unusually early.
