Chapter I
DOG STORIES. CINCINNATI: WILLIAM T. TRUMAN. THE BIRD SOLDIER. Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side. But what are you firing at?
Bird Stories and Dog Stories
Chapter I
English subtitles · tap any word to listen
1 / 5
DOG
STORIES.
CINCINNATI:
WILLIAM
T.
TRUMAN.
THE
BIRD
SOLDIER.
Little
bird!
you
had
better
let
that
cannon
alone;
I
am
afraid
you
will
soon
fall
by
its
side.
But
what
are
you
firing
at?
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Line 1
DOG
STORIES.
Line 2
CINCINNATI:
WILLIAM
T.
TRUMAN.
Line 3
THE
BIRD
SOLDIER.
Line 4
Little
bird!
you
had
better
let
that
cannon
alone;
I
am
afraid
you
will
soon
fall
by
its
side.
Line 5
But
what
are
you
firing
at?
Learner Dictionary
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.
Alone
noun
US /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.”
Let
auxiliary verb
US /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading “Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.”
Little
noun
US /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.”
Soon
noun
US /soon/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading “Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.”
All words in this reading · 31
Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
afraid
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
alonenounUS /alone/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
amauxiliary verbUS /æm/
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But what are you firing at?
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But what are you firing at?
better
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
BIRD
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BIRD SOLDIER.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But what are you firing at?
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
cannon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
CINCINNATI
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From this reading CINCINNATI: WILLIAM T. TRUMAN.
DOG
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DOG STORIES.
fall
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
firing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But what are you firing at?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
LittlenounUS /little/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
side
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
SOLDIER
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE BIRD SOLDIER.
soon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
STORIES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DOG STORIES.
T
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CINCINNATI: WILLIAM T. TRUMAN.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BIRD SOLDIER.
TRUMAN
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CINCINNATI: WILLIAM T. TRUMAN.
whatpronounUS /wʌt/
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But what are you firing at?
willmodal verbUS /wɪl/
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.
WILLIAM
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CINCINNATI: WILLIAM T. TRUMAN.
youpronounUS /juː/
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Little bird! you had better let that cannon alone; I am afraid you will soon fall by its side.