alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
ashnounUS /æʃ/
the residue that remains when something is burned
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
berriesnounUS /ˈberiz/
plural of “berry” — any of numerous small and pulpy edible fruits; used as desserts or in making jams and jellies and preserves
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
broods
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
covertnounUS /ˈkoʊvərt/
a flock of coots
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
decayingverbUS /dɪˈkeɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “decay” — lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting
From this reading FAREWELL TO THE FENCE.
enclose with a fence
From this reading FAREWELL TO THE FENCE.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
frostsnounUS /frɔːsts/
plural of “frost” — ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
grousenounUS /ɡraʊs/
flesh of any of various grouse of the family Tetraonidae; usually roasted; flesh too dry to broil
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
HickorynounUS /ˈhɪkəri/
valuable tough heavy hardwood from various hickory trees
From this reading Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
logsnounUS /lɔːɡz/
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
midsummernounUS /ˈmɪdˈsʌmər/
June 21, when the sun is at its northernmost point
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
nutsadjectiveUS /nʌts/
informal or slang terms for mentally irregular
From this reading Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
ripenedadjectiveUS /ˈraɪpənd/
of wines, fruit, cheeses; having reached a desired or final condition; (“aged” pronounced as one syllable)
From this reading Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
ruffed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
that is looked for
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
squirrelsnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəlz/
plural of “squirrel” — a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
strutnounUS /strʌt/
a proud stiff pompous gait
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
swalesnounUS /sweɪlz/
plural of “swale” — a low area (especially a marshy area between ridges)
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FAREWELL TO THE FENCE.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
in or at that place or location
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FAREWELL TO THE FENCE.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
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 Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
precisely as stated
From this reading Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The ruffed grouse, with broods well grown, find covert in the tops of fallen trees, or strut along decaying logs.
at the time that
From this reading When the first frosts of autumn come the black ash swales are dry, and there is more life in them than in midsummer.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There are certain berries which grow in the swales, and these have ripened and are sought by many birds.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Hickory trees grow in the swales, and the squirrels are very busy with the ripened nuts.
