used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It was a pretty good old world after all.
(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 It was a pretty good old world after all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
cankernounUS /ˈkæŋkər/
a fungal disease of woody plants that causes localized damage to the bark
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
copsenoun
a dense growth of bushes
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
dewsnounUS /duːz/
plural of “dew” — water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
duskyadjective
lighted by or as if by twilight
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
fernsnounUS /fɜːrnz/
plural of “fern” — any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
gnawedverbUS /nɔːd/
past form of “gnaw” — bite or chew on with the teeth
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading It was a pretty good old world after all.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
hazeladjectiveUS /ˈheɪzəl/
of a light brown or yellowish brown color
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a pretty good old world after all.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
lilted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
for more time
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
not any; not one
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
odornounUS /ˈoʊdər/
any property detected by the olfactory system
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
the state prevailing during the absence of war
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading It was a pretty good old world after all.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For the first time in long days his heart felt at peace.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The canker of loneliness that had gnawed at his spirit was there no longer.
whip-poor-will
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A whip-poor-will lilted its low call from a hazel copse and Billy answered it.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
woodlandnounUS /ˈwʊdlænd/
land that is covered with trees and shrubs
From this reading OLD HARRY MAKES A FIND Through the dusky twilight, soft with woodland dews and sweet with odor of ferns and wild flowers, Billy walked slowly.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading It was a pretty good old world after all.
