used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
in the past
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
in addition
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
badgerverbUS /ˈbædʒər/
annoy persistently
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading Some tales remain untold and one of them is how Kos-ko-menos, the great kingfisher, won his beautiful blue belt.
for the reason that
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
BELTnounUS /belt/
endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
blackbirdnounUS /ˈblækbərd/
any bird of the family Icteridae whose male is black or predominantly black
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Some tales remain untold and one of them is how Kos-ko-menos, the great kingfisher, won his beautiful blue belt.
brandedadjectiveUS /ˈbrændɪd/
(of goods and merchandise) marked or labeled by a distinctive word or symbol indicating exclusive rights
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
carriesnounUS /ˈkæriz/
plural of “carry” — the act of carrying something
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
crestnounUS /krest/
the top line of a hill, mountain, or wave
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
plural of “event” — something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Some tales remain untold and one of them is how Kos-ko-menos, the great kingfisher, won his beautiful blue belt.
HeapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
not accessible to view
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
jettynounUS /ˈdʒeti/
a protective structure of stone or concrete; extends from shore into the water to prevent a beach from washing away
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
and nothing more
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
KINGFISHERnounUS /ˈkɪŋfɪʃər/
nonpasserine large-headed bird with a short tail and long sharp bill; usually crested and bright-colored; feed mostly on fish
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
KOS-KO-MENOS
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
hear with intention
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
lodgeverbUS /lɑːdʒ/
be a lodger; stay temporarily
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
held dear
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
markingsnounUS /ˈmɑːrkɪŋz/
plural of “marking” — a distinguishing symbol
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
Moo-wee-suk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Some tales remain untold and one of them is how Kos-ko-menos, the great kingfisher, won his beautiful blue belt.
plumyadjective
resembling a plume
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
racoonnoun
an omnivorous nocturnal mammal native to North America and Central America
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
red-winged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Some tales remain untold and one of them is how Kos-ko-menos, the great kingfisher, won his beautiful blue belt.
ringsnounUS /rɪŋz/
gymnastic apparatus consisting of a pair of heavy metal circles (usually covered with leather) suspended by ropes; used for gymnastic exercises
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
express in words
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
secretsnounUS /ˈsiːkrəts/
plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
smoulderingadjective
showing scarcely suppressed anger
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
splashverbUS /splæʃ/
cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
spotsnounUS /spɑːts/
spots before the eyes caused by opaque cell fragments in the vitreous humor and lens
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
squatverbUS /skwɑːt/
sit on one's heels
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
tellersnounUS /ˈtelərz/
plural of “teller” — United States physicist (born in Hungary) who worked on the first atom bomb and the first hydrogen bomb (1908-2003)
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Some tales remain untold and one of them is how Kos-ko-menos, the great kingfisher, won his beautiful blue belt.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
plural of “ti” — a light strong grey lustrous corrosion-resistant metallic element used in strong lightweight alloys (as for airplane parts); the main sources are rutile and ilmenite
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Long ago the little Indian children loved to squat beside some smouldering lodge fire and listen to these tales--these hidden secrets told of their little brothers of the wood.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
unexplainedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspleɪnd/
not explained
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
untoldadjectiveUS /ənˈtoʊld/
too much to be measured
From this reading Some tales remain untold and one of them is how Kos-ko-menos, the great kingfisher, won his beautiful blue belt.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
war-paint
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
which person or people
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
the basic unit of money in South Korea
From this reading HOW KOS-KO-MENOS, THE KINGFISHER, WON HIS BELT Heaps of strange events in Nature go unexplained.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Some say 'tis because the wonderful old Indian story tellers who knew many wood secrets are gone.
woodpeckernounUS /ˈwʊdpekər/
bird with strong claws and a stiff tail adapted for climbing and a hard chisel-like bill for boring into wood for insects
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading They were told how Moo-wee-suk, the racoon, always wore five rings about his plumy tail, why the red-winged blackbird is branded with two spots of living fire on its jetty wings, why the woodpecker carries a bright splash of fresh blood upon his crest, and also why the badger is always a kind of joke, just because of his war-paint markings.
