Chapter II · Chapter 2

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Not much of a picture, certainly!

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

in a state of sleep

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

the season when the leaves fall from the trees

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

a long seat for more than one person

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

on the far side of; further than

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

an orange of low brightness and saturation

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)

From this reading Not much of a picture, certainly!

the state of the sky when it is covered by clouds

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

a grouping of a number of similar things

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

the time during which someone's life continues

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

the extent downward or backward or inward

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

separated in space or coming from or going to a distance

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

a long narrow excavation in the earth

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

emanating from God

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

plural of “elm” — any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

opinion or judgment

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

a form of entertainment that enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

assemble or get together

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

a relatively small granular particle of a substance

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

shoot down, of birds

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

the yield from plants in a single growing season

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

the locus of feelings and intuitions

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

not in action or at work

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

mean or intend to express or convey

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

tediously repetitious or lacking in variety

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading Not much of a picture, certainly!

-ing form of “nibble” — bite off very small pieces

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

not any; not one

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

and nothing more

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface

From this reading Not much of a picture, certainly!

The daughter of a monarch; a female member of a royal family.

From this reading TENNYSON'S _Princess_.

an introduction to a play

From this reading PROLOGUE--THE WANDERER.

move upward

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

filled with shade

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

occupy a large, elongated area

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

any shrub or small tree of the genus Tamarix having small scalelike or needle-shaped leaves and feathery racemes of small white or pinkish flowers; of mostly coastal areas with saline soil

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

the process of shedding tears (usually accompanied by sobs or other inarticulate sounds)

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading TENNYSON'S _Princess_.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading PROLOGUE--THE WANDERER.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

the process of using your mind to consider something carefully

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

someone who leads a wandering unsettled life

From this reading PROLOGUE--THE WANDERER.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean, Tears from the depth of some divine despair Rise in the heart, and gather to the eyes, In looking on the happy Autumn fields, And thinking of the days that are no more.

changing to a lighter color

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Only a stretch of wide sunny road, with a tamarisk hedge and a clump of shadowy elms; a stray sheep nibbling in a grass ditch; and a brown baby asleep on a bench; beyond, low broad fields of grain whitening to harvest, and a distant film and haze--blue cloudiness, and the deep monotonous sound of the great sea.