used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Already the fragrance in the air was fainter; once more a dew seemed falling....
(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 But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading This moonless night was as solemn and hushed as it had been at first....
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading This moonless night was as solemn and hushed as it had been at first....
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading This moonless night was as solemn and hushed as it had been at first....
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
crescentnounUS /ˈkresənt/
any shape resembling the curved shape of the moon in its first or last quarters
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/
the first light of day
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
dewnounUS /duː/
water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading Already the fragrance in the air was fainter; once more a dew seemed falling....
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
earth'snounUS /ɜːrθs/
possessive form of “earth” — the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
fainteradjectiveUS /ˈfeɪntər/
comparative of “faint” — deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading Already the fragrance in the air was fainter; once more a dew seemed falling....
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading Already the fragrance in the air was fainter; once more a dew seemed falling....
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
fragrancenounUS /ˈfreɪɡrəns/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading Already the fragrance in the air was fainter; once more a dew seemed falling....
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
hushedadjectiveUS /hʌʃt/
in a softened tone
From this reading This moonless night was as solemn and hushed as it had been at first....
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
immediately past
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
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 But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
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 But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
moonlessadjective
without a moon or a visible moon
From this reading This moonless night was as solemn and hushed as it had been at first....
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading This moonless night was as solemn and hushed as it had been at first....
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
on one occasion
From this reading Already the fragrance in the air was fainter; once more a dew seemed falling....
and nothing more
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
rimnounUS /rɪm/
the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/
(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Already the fragrance in the air was fainter; once more a dew seemed falling....
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
the state of being asleep
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading This moonless night was as solemn and hushed as it had been at first....
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
not in physical motion
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This moonless night was as solemn and hushed as it had been at first....
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading More than three hours had passed since I first came across the boys.
very small
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
in the direction of
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
unbrokenadjectiveUS /ənˈbroʊkən/
marked by continuous or uninterrupted extension in space or time or sequence
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The moon at last had risen; I did not notice it at first; it was such a tiny crescent.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But already many stars, that not long before had been high up in the heavens, were setting over the earth's dark rim; everything around was perfectly still, as it is only still towards morning; all was sleeping the deep unbroken sleep that comes before daybreak.
