| hometown |
the town or city in which one was born or grew up, or any place that feels as if it is one's real home because of having lived there a long time. |
| Irish |
the language of Ireland spoken since before English came into use there. It is also called Irish Gaelic. [1/3 definitions] |
| larder |
a place or room for keeping or storing food, or the supply of food stored there. |
| lark1 |
a songbird with a long hind claw and a musical song. There are many kinds of larks. |
| lend |
to give someone money that must be paid back. Usually there is also a payment of interest. [1/3 definitions] |
| lichen |
a living thing that is a fungus and a form of algae or special bacteria living together. The algae or the bacteria use photosynthesis to make food for the fungus. There are many kinds of lichens with different colors, such as green, gray, black, or red. They can look like scales, crusts, or branches. Lichens live on rocks and other places where there is no soil. |
| marble |
a kind of stone that can be cut and polished to a hard, shiny surface. There are many kinds and colors of marble. [1/2 definitions] |
| minor scale |
any musical scale in which there is a half-step between the second and third tones and seventh and eighth tones. |
| mirage |
an illusion in which something is seen in the distance but is not really there. A mirage often occurs in the desert or on hot pavement, creating the illusion of water. A mirage is caused when light is reflected by air masses of different temperatures. |
| nationality |
the condition of belonging to a particular nation by having been born there or by becoming a citizen. [1/2 definitions] |
| neighborhood |
the part of a town or city in which one lives, or an area in a city or town that is distinctive because a particular community lives there or because the area has a special character. [1/2 definitions] |
| on hand |
ready right there. |
| optimism |
the belief that things will turn out well or that there is always hope for something good to happen. |
| oriole |
a songbird that can be found in many parts of the world. Males have black and bright yellow or orange feathers. There are two main groups of birds that are considered orioles. There are several different kinds of orioles in each group. |
| outpatient |
a person who is being treated at a hospital or clinic but who is not kept there overnight. |
| owl |
a bird with large eyes set in front of a large head, a strong, hooked beak, and strong, sharp claws. Owls are most active at night and hunt other animals for food. There are many different kinds of owls. |
| ozone hole |
an area in the ozone layer where the ozone becomes thin. There is a large ozone hole over Antarctica and a smaller one over the North Pole. Scientists warn us this is dangerous. |
| paratrooper |
a soldier trained to parachute from an airplane into an area where there is fighting. |
| parking meter |
a device set next to a parking space that accepts coins to pay for parking there and shows the amount of time allowed. |
| patience |
the ability to stay calm when there is a delay. [1/2 definitions] |
| Pilipino |
the native language of the Philippines, and one of the two official languages spoken there. The other official language is English. Pilipino is also called "Filipino." |