used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
in addition
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
arrowweed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The prickly pear and the cat-claw clutched at his chaps.
azaleanounUS /əˈzeɪljə/
any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their showy flowers of various colors
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
bellflowersnounUS /ˈbelflaʊərz/
plural of “bellflower” — any of various plants of the genus Campanula having blue or white bell-shaped flowers
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
bloomingnounUS /ˈbluːmɪŋ/
the organic process of bearing flowers
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
cat-claw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The prickly pear and the cat-claw clutched at his chaps.
chapsnounUS /tʃæps/
plural of “chap” — a boy or man
From this reading The prickly pear and the cat-claw clutched at his chaps.
attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
clusteringnounUS /ˈklʌstərɪŋ/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
clutchedverbUS /klʌtʃt/
past form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading The prickly pear and the cat-claw clutched at his chaps.
creosotenounUS /ˈkriːəsoʊt/
a colorless or yellowish oily liquid obtained by distillation of wood tar; used as an antiseptic
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
true confidential information
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
to or in any or all places
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
Goodheart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
Gun-Barrel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The prickly pear and the cat-claw clutched at his chaps.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
a small worthless amount
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
mesquitenounUS /ˈmeskiːt/
any of several small spiny trees or shrubs of the genus Prosopis having small flowers in axillary cylindrical spikes followed by large pods rich in sugar
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
pearnounUS /per/
sweet juicy gritty-textured fruit available in many varieties
From this reading The prickly pear and the cat-claw clutched at his chaps.
pricklyadjectiveUS /ˈprɪkli/
very irritable
From this reading The prickly pear and the cat-claw clutched at his chaps.
ridernounUS /ˈraɪdər/
a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
sheennounUS /ʃiːn/
the visual property of something that shines with reflected light
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
silveryadjectiveUS /ˈsɪlvəri/
resembling or reminiscent of silver
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
soapweednoun
tall arborescent yucca of southwestern United States
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
stuntedadjectiveUS /ˈstʌntɪd/
inferior in size or quality
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading The details were not lovely, but in the sunset light of late afternoon the silvery sheen of the mesquite had its own charm for the rider.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
vegetationnounUS /ˌvedʒəˈteɪʃən/
all the plant life in a particular region or period
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The arrowweed and the soapweed were everywhere, as was also the stunted creosote.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Gun-Barrel Road Jack Goodheart followed the gun-barrel road into a desert green and beautiful with vegetation.
yuccanounUS /ˈjʌkə/
any of several evergreen plants of the genus Yucca having usually tall stout stems and a terminal cluster of white flowers; warmer regions of North America
From this reading Now he passed a blooming azalea or a yucca with clustering bellflowers.
