used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
billowyadjective
characterized by great swelling waves or surges
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
bricksnounUS /brɪks/
plural of “brick” — rectangular block of clay baked by the sun or in a kiln; used as a building or paving material
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
ceilingnounUS /ˈsiːlɪŋ/
the overhead upper surface of a covered space
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
chimneysnounUS /ˈtʃɪmniz/
plural of “chimney” — a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
church-spires
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
circlingverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
cloudbanks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
dovesnounUS /dʌvz/
plural of “dove” — any of numerous small pigeons
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
opinion or judgment
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
a state of high honor
From this reading He saw not the glory of the sun and the heavens.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He saw not the glory of the sun and the heavens.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading He saw not the glory of the sun and the heavens.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
inspireverbUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪr/
heighten or intensify
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
ledgenounUS /ledʒ/
a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He saw not the glory of the sun and the heavens.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He saw not the glory of the sun and the heavens.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
(law) someone who owns (is legal possessor of) a business
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
poeticadjectiveUS /poʊˈetɪk/
of or relating to poetry
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
cut with a saw
From this reading He saw not the glory of the sun and the heavens.
sparrowsnounUS /ˈsperoʊz/
plural of “sparrow” — any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insects
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading He saw not the glory of the sun and the heavens.
sun-baked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
in or at that place or location
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To his eyes there was nothing poetic in the flash of the distant church-spires against the billowy cloudbanks.
twittering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gray doves, circling about the chimneys, did not inspire him, nor the twittering of the sparrows on the window ledge.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In my bedroom the next morning there was a sad and heavy heart.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading The owner woke up, stared at the ceiling, then at the sun-baked bricks beyond his window.
