used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
AcresnounUS /ˈeɪkərz/
extensive landed property (especially in the country) retained by the owner for his own use
From this reading Joan heard voices over toward Wild Acres.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
(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 Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
Ariel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
backsnounUS /bæks/
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
chatterverbUS /ˈtʃætər/
click repeatedly or uncontrollably
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
Clare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
courtingnounUS /ˈkɔːrtɪŋ/
a man's courting of a woman; seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage)
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
everything you own; all of your assets (whether real property or personal property) and liabilities
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Joan heard voices over toward Wild Acres.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
Holly'snounUS /ˈhɑːliz/
possessive form of “holly” — any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex having red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edges
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
indistinguishableadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃəbəl/
exactly alike; incapable of being perceived as different
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
Joan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Joan heard voices over toward Wild Acres.
staying power
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
monkeynounUS /ˈmʌŋki/
any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
neighboringadjectiveUS /ˈneɪbərɪŋ/
having a common boundary or edge; abutting; touching
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
Nicky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
try to cure by special care of treatment, of an illness or injury
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Joan heard voices over toward Wild Acres.
overheardverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhɜːrd/
inflected form of “overhear” — hear, usually without the knowledge of the speakers
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
Persis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
past form of “present” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
solitudenounUS /ˈsɑːlətuːd/
a state of social isolation
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
swingingnounUS /ˈswɪŋɪŋ/
changing location by moving back and forth
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
tanglenounUS /ˈtæŋɡəl/
a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
the upper part of anything
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Joan heard voices over toward Wild Acres.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Joan heard voices over toward Wild Acres.
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 They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
well-keptadjective
kept in good condition
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Although she was courting solitude this afternoon, or had intended to, Joan turned that way, out of curiosity, and in a minute or so four backs were presented to her.
at the time that
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Joan heard voices over toward Wild Acres.
wildwood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They came from the top of the wall which for half a mile or so shut off Holly’s well-kept grounds from the wildwood tangle of the neighboring estate.
wildwood-tangleward
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Persis, Nicky, their nurse, Alice, and Ariel Clare were all up on the wall, their legs swinging over on the Wild Acres side, their faces wildwood-tangleward, talking.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Much overheard talk sounds like monkey chatter, when the words are indistinguishable, but not this of the two girls and the two children.
