used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
(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 Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
anklenounUS /ˈæŋkəl/
a gliding joint between the distal ends of the tibia and fibula and the proximal end of the talus
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
applyingverbUS /əˈplaɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “apply” — put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
basinnounUS /ˈbeɪsən/
a bowl-shaped vessel; usually used for holding food or liquids
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
beingsnounUS /ˈbiːɪŋz/
plural of “being” — the state or fact of existing
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
blastedadjectiveUS /ˈblæstəd/
expletives used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
cactusnounUS /ˈkæktəs/
any succulent plant of the family Cactaceae native chiefly to arid regions of the New World and usually having spines
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
catchingnounUS /ˈkætʃɪŋ/
(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
colorsnounUS /ˈkʌlərz/
a flag that shows its nationality
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
crevicenounUS /ˈkrevəs/
a long narrow depression in a surface
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
distinguishverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
mark as different
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
apart from; not including
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
fomentations
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
freaknounUS /friːk/
a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
handiworknounUS /ˈhændiwɜːrk/
a work produced by hand labor
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
HolmesnounUS /hoʊmz/
a fictitious detective in stories by A. Conan Doyle
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
Nature'snounUS /ˈneɪtʃərz/
possessive form of “nature” — the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
pilesnounUS /paɪlz/
venous swelling external or internal to the anal sphincter
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
pinenounUS /paɪn/
a coniferous tree
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
PresidionounUS /prɪˈsɪdioʊ/
a fortress established in the southwestern United States by the Spanish in order to protect their missions and other holdings
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
rambledverbUS /ˈræmbəld/
past form of “ramble” — continue talking or writing in a desultory manner
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
scuddingnoun
the act of moving along swiftly (as before a gale)
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
splittingadjectiveUS /ˈsplɪtɪŋ/
resembling a sound of violent tearing as of something ripped apart or lightning splitting a tree
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
spraynounUS /spreɪ/
a pesticide in suspension or solution; intended for spraying
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
squirrelsnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəlz/
plural of “squirrel” — a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
swellsnounUS /swelz/
plural of “swell” — the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Here was a blasted pine that had been struck by some freak of rare lightning, then piles of sand over which cactus crept.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
tinklenounUS /ˈtɪŋkəl/
a light clear metallic sound as of a small bell
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
to-day
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading It ran under a crevice in the rock that was splitting apart now by some of Nature's handiwork and came out over west of their house where it dropped into a little basin.
in or at the place that
From this reading Up there was the Presidio, and over here the beautiful ocean, blue as the sky to-day, except where the swells drove up on the rocks and, catching the sun, made spray of all colors.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
whisperingnounUS /ˈwɪspərɪŋ/
a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
From this reading The ground squirrels ran about, scudding at the slightest sound of human beings, which they seemed to distinguish from the rustling and whispering of the trees, or the tinkle of a little stream over the stones.
wrenchverbUS /rentʃ/
twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates
From this reading GIRLS AND GIRLS They rambled over the hills on Sunday, for Miss Holmes had given her ankle a little wrench and was applying hot fomentations.
