used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
acornnounUS /ˈeɪkɔːrn/
fruit of the oak tree: a smooth thin-walled nut in a woody cup-shaped base
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
(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 Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading There is a wide-spread error on the subject of American scenery.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
attachverbUS /əˈtætʃ/
cause to be attached
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
beetle's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
boundlessadjectiveUS /ˈbaʊndləs/
seemingly boundless in amount, number, degree, or especially extent
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
breadthnounUS /bredθ/
the capacity to understand a broad range of topics
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
an occurrence of something
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
chiming
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
errornounUS /ˈerər/
a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention
From this reading There is a wide-spread error on the subject of American scenery.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/
a wide scope
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
fleetnounUS /fliːt/
group of aircraft operating together under the same ownership
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
floweret's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/
plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
frostyadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːsti/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
grandeurnounUS /ɡrænˈduːr/
the quality of being magnificent or splendid or grand
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
grasshoppernounUS /ˈɡræshɑːpər/
terrestrial plant-eating insect with hind legs adapted for leaping
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
hoofsnounUS /hʊfs/
plural of “hoof” — the foot of an ungulate mammal
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There is a wide-spread error on the subject of American scenery.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
lakesnounUS /leɪks/
plural of “lake” — a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
low-tonedadjective
very low in volume
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
misappliedverbUS /ˌmɪsəˈplaɪd/
inflected form of “misapply” — apply to a wrong thing or person; apply badly or incorrectly
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mrs. Seba Smith.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
a nonmetallic bivalent element that is normally a colorless odorless tasteless nonflammable diatomic gas; constitutes 21 percent of the atmosphere by volume; the most abundant element in the earth's crust
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
oaknounUS /oʊk/
the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
prairiesnounUS /ˈpreɪriz/
plural of “prairie” — a treeless grassy plain
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
riversnounUS /ˈrɪvərz/
plural of “river” — a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
scenerynounUS /ˈsiːnəri/
the painted structures of a stage set that are intended to suggest a particular locale
From this reading There is a wide-spread error on the subject of American scenery.
Seba
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mrs. Seba Smith.
seeminglyadverbUS /ˈsiːmɪŋli/
from appearances alone
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading Mrs. Seba Smith.
solitudes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
steedsnounUS /stiːdz/
plural of “steed” — (literary) a spirited horse for state of war
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading There is a wide-spread error on the subject of American scenery.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
in or at that place or location
From this reading There is a wide-spread error on the subject of American scenery.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
up-rung
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
Wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "An acorn fell from an old oak tree, And lay on the frosty ground-- 'O, what shall the fate of the acorn be?'
at the time that
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
spoken in soft hushed tones without vibrations of the vocal cords
From this reading Was whispered all around By low-toned voices chiming sweet, Like a floweret's bell when swung-- And grasshopper steeds were gathering fleet, And the beetle's hoofs up-rung."
wide-spread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There is a wide-spread error on the subject of American scenery.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading From the size of the lakes, the length and breadth of the rivers, the vast solitudes of the forests, and the seemingly boundless expanse of the prairies, the world has come to attach to it an idea of grandeur; a word that is in nearly every case, misapplied.
