used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
abundantadjectiveUS /əˈbʌndənt/
present in great quantity
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
(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 neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
brickworknoun
masonry done with bricks and mortar
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
cactus-shaped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
disputeverbUS /dɪsˈpjuːt/
take exception to
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
footingnounUS /ˈfʊtɪŋ/
status with respect to the relations between people or groups
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/
rock fragments and pebbles
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The red weed grew tumultuously in their roofless rooms.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
interspersedverbUS /ˌɪntərˈspɜːrst/
past form of “intersperse” — place at intervals in or among
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
knee-highnoun
a sock or stocking that reaches up to just below the knees
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
immediately past
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
moundnounUS /maʊnd/
(baseball) the slight elevation on which the pitcher stands
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
multitudenounUS /ˈmʌltətuːd/
a large indefinite number
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
neighbouringverbUS /ˈneɪbərɪŋ/
-ing form of “neighbour” — live or be located as a neighbor
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
networknounUS /ˈnetwɜːrk/
an interconnected system of things or people
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
not one, and not any
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
plantsnounUS /plænts/
plural of “plant” — buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
rooflessadjective
not having a roof
From this reading The red weed grew tumultuously in their roofless rooms.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading The red weed grew tumultuously in their roofless rooms.
scaledadjectiveUS /skeɪld/
having the body covered or partially covered with thin horny plates, as some fish and reptiles
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
shadyadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪdi/
quiet, dark, or concealed
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
shatteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃætərd/
ruined or disrupted
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
SheennounUS /ʃiːn/
the visual property of something that shines with reflected light
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
smashedadjectiveUS /smæʃt/
very drunk
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
stemsnounUS /stemz/
plural of “stem” — (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
not in physical motion
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
stragglingadjective
spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
terrestrialadjectiveUS /tərˈestriəl/
of or relating to or inhabiting the land as opposed to the sea or air
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
threadverbUS /θred/
to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
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 When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
tumultuouslyadverb
in a tumultuous and riotous manner
From this reading The red weed grew tumultuously in their roofless rooms.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
weednounUS /wiːd/
any plant that crowds out cultivated plants
From this reading The red weed grew tumultuously in their roofless rooms.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The trees near me were dead and brown, but further a network of red thread scaled the still living stems.
at the time that
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
a Caucasian
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When I had last seen this part of Sheen in the daylight it had been a straggling street of comfortable white and red houses, interspersed with abundant shady trees.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Now I stood on a mound of smashed brickwork, clay, and gravel, over which spread a multitude of red cactus-shaped plants, knee-high, without a solitary terrestrial growth to dispute their footing.
wreckedadjectiveUS /rekt/
destroyed in an accident
From this reading The neighbouring houses had all been wrecked, but none had been burned; their walls stood, sometimes to the second story, with smashed windows and shattered doors.
