used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
bayingverbUS /ˈbeɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “bay” — utter in deep prolonged tones
From this reading Worse too, the baying was growing less and less distinct; she urged Starlight on.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
buzzardsnounUS /ˈbʌzərdz/
plural of “buzzard” — a New World vulture that is common in South America and Central America and the southern United States
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
dazedadjectiveUS /deɪzd/
in a state of mental numbness especially as resulting from shock
From this reading For a moment she lay still, dazed.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality
From this reading Worse too, the baying was growing less and less distinct; she urged Starlight on.
ditchnounUS /dɪtʃ/
a long narrow excavation in the earth
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
the operator of a motor vehicle
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
with ease (“easy” is sometimes used informally for “easily”)
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
ethernounUS /ˈiːθər/
the fifth and highest element after air and earth and fire and water; was believed to be the substance composing all heavenly bodies
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment she lay still, dazed.
FrancesnounUS /ˈfrænsɪs/
plural of “france” — a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
the act of departing
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Worse too, the baying was growing less and less distinct; she urged Starlight on.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
immediately past
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading For a moment she lay still, dazed.
lazilyadverbUS /ˈlæzəli/
in a slow and lazy manner
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Worse too, the baying was growing less and less distinct; she urged Starlight on.
loiterernoun
someone who lingers aimlessly in or about a place
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment she lay still, dazed.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
nagverbUS /næɡ/
bother persistently with trivial complaints
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
uttered with a trill
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
screennounUS /skriːn/
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Worse too, the baying was growing less and less distinct; she urged Starlight on.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
spedverbUS /sped/
inflected form of “speed” — move hurridly
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
move hurridly
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
StarlightnounUS /ˈstɑːrlaɪt/
the light of the stars
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
not in physical motion
From this reading For a moment she lay still, dazed.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Worse too, the baying was growing less and less distinct; she urged Starlight on.
trapnounUS /træp/
a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
past form of “urge” — force or impel in an indicated direction
From this reading Worse too, the baying was growing less and less distinct; she urged Starlight on.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading She watched the deep, intense, blue of the sky overhead and the screen of oak branches against it and the buzzards floating lazily high up in ether.
wavingnounUS /ˈweɪvɪŋ/
the act of signaling by a movement of the hand
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Then Starlight went more slowly, the heavy trap was telling on him; the gray nag and her driver were nearly out of sight, the driver waving an impatient hand at the loiterer as he sped around the last turning.
wheelsnounUS /wiːlz/
plural of “wheel” — a simple machine consisting of a circular frame with spokes (or a solid disc) that can rotate on a shaft or axle (as in vehicles or other machines)
From this reading He gave a burst of speed, the wheels went rolling over a rock, and in a breath the trap was going down--down--and Frances rolled quite easily into the dry ditch.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading Worse too, the baying was growing less and less distinct; she urged Starlight on.
