used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
alenounUS /eɪl/
a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast; in some of the United States an ale is (by law) a brew of more than 4% alcohol by volume
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
AsceticadjectiveUS /əˈsetɪk/
pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
fearless and daring
From this reading Bold italic text has been marked with =equals signs=.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
cakesnounUS /keɪks/
plural of “cake” — a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
dragonnounUS /ˈdræɡən/
a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
inflected form of “drink” — take in liquids
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
editornounUS /ˈedətər/
a person responsible for the editorial aspects of publication; the person who determines the final content of a text (especially of a newspaper or magazine)
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
equalsnounUS /ˈiːkwəlz/
plural of “equal” — a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
From this reading Bold italic text has been marked with =equals signs=.
exceptionnounUS /ɪkˈsepʃən/
a deliberate act of omission
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
flagonnoun
a large metal or pottery vessel with a handle and spout; used to hold alcoholic beverages (usually wine)
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
moving swiftly
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
hair-shirtadjective
self-sacrificing or austere
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
includedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkluːdəd/
enclosed in the same envelope or package
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
a hotel providing overnight lodging for travelers
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
isn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
ItalicnounUS /aɪˈtælɪk/
a style of handwriting with the letters slanting to the right
From this reading Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
past form of “kill” — cause to die; put to death, usually intentionally or knowingly
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
mailnounUS /meɪl/
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
a brief written record
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
originallyadverbUS /ərˈɪdʒənəli/
in an original manner
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
approval to do something
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
pintnounUS /paɪnt/
a British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 gills or 568.26 cubic centimeters
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
without much difficulty
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
possessing material wealth
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
precisely, exactly
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Bold italic text has been marked with =equals signs=.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
St
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
textnounUS /tekst/
the words of something written
From this reading Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
underscoresnounUS /ˌʌndərˈskɔːrz/
plural of “underscore” — a line drawn underneath (especially under written matter)
From this reading Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
except if; if not
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading St. George he was for England, And before he killed the dragon He drank a pint of English ale Out of an English flagon.
in or at the place that
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading ] NOTE The Songs in this book are taken from "THE FLYING INN," with the exception of "The Good Rich Man" and "The Song of the Strange Ascetic," which are here included by kind permission of the editor of =The New Witness=, where they originally appeared.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading For though he fast right readily In hair-shirt or in mail, It isn't safe to give him cakes Unless you give him ale.
