used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
anew
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
(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 The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
eagerly desirous
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
make calm or still
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
cheeriestadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪriəst/
superlative of “cheery” — bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
a small house with a single story
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
the skilled practice of a practical occupation
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
girl'snounUS /ɡɜːrlz/
possessive form of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
gratedverbUS /ˈɡreɪtɪd/
past form of “grate” — furnish with a grate
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
HamiltonnounUS /ˈhæməltən/
Irish mathematician (1806-1865)
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
harshlyadverbUS /ˈhɑːrʃli/
in a harsh or unkind manner
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
languidadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋɡwəd/
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
showing or feeling mirth or pleasure or happiness
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
laughinglyadverbUS /ˈlæfɪŋli/
with laughter; while laughing
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
without good reason
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
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 She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
plural of “note” — a brief written record
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
overwroughtadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈrɔːt/
deeply agitated especially from emotion
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
peacefuladjectiveUS /ˈpiːsfəl/
not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
placidadjectiveUS /ˈplæsəd/
(of a body of water) free from disturbance by heavy waves
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
ripplingnounUS /ˈrɪpəlɪŋ/
a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
sailsnounUS /seɪlz/
plural of “sail” — a large piece of fabric (usually canvas fabric) by means of which wind is used to propel a sailing vessel
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
skimmedadjectiveUS /skɪmd/
used of milk and milk products from which the cream has been removed
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
sleeplessadjectiveUS /ˈsliːpləs/
experiencing or accompanied by sleeplessness
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
sparrowsnounUS /ˈsperoʊz/
plural of “sparrow” — any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insects
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
very small
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
treacherousadjectiveUS /ˈtretʃərəs/
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
From this reading Before her lay the treacherous ocean, now calm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine.
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 laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
twitternounUS /ˈtwɪtər/
a series of chirps
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
experiencing or marked by or causing sadness or sorrow or discontent
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
verandanounUS /vərˈændə/
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
waftedverbUS /ˈwɑːftɪd/
past form of “waft” — be driven or carried along, as by the air
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxious days and sleepless nights.
a Caucasian
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
wistfullyadverbUS /ˈwɪstfəli/
in a wistful manner
From this reading HOME AGAIN Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfully out to sea.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The white sails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the world seemed to show their cheeriest faces.
yachtnounUS /jɑːt/
an expensive vessel propelled by sail or power and used for cruising or racing
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
youngstersnounUS /ˈjʌŋstərz/
plural of “youngster” — a young person of either sex
From this reading The laughing voices of merry youngsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes of a girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all grated harshly on her overwrought nerves.
