used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
abandonmentnounUS /əˈbændənmənt/
the act of giving something up
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
beesnounUS /biːz/
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading The honey bees were humming to the heart of the blossoms.
blossomsnounUS /ˈblɑːsəmz/
plural of “blossom” — reproductive organ of angiosperm plants especially one having showy or colorful parts
From this reading The honey bees were humming to the heart of the blossoms.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
driftverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
EsthernounUS /ˈestər/
(Old Testament) a beautiful Jewess chosen by the king of Persia to be his queen; she stopped a plot to massacre all the Jews in Persia (an event celebrated by Jews as the feast of Purim)
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
all things; all of a situation
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
the state or fact of existing
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The honey bees were humming to the heart of the blossoms.
heartrendingadjective
causing or marked by grief or anguish
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
honeynounUS /ˈhʌni/
a sweet yellow liquid produced by bees
From this reading The honey bees were humming to the heart of the blossoms.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
hummingnounUS /ˈhʌmɪŋ/
a humming noise
From this reading The honey bees were humming to the heart of the blossoms.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
isolationnounUS /ˌaɪsəˈleɪʃən/
a state of separation between persons or groups
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
pathosnounUS /ˈpeɪθɑːs/
a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow)
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
plumadverbUS /plʌm/
exactly
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
resortingverbUS /rɪˈzɔːrtɪŋ/
-ing form of “resort” — have recourse to
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
sobsnounUS /sɑːbz/
plural of “sob” — a dyspneic condition
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
starvedadjectiveUS /stɑːrvd/
suffering from lack of food
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
thicketnounUS /ˈθɪkɪt/
a dense growth of bushes
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
-ing form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
unsympatheticadjectiveUS /ənˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/
not sympathetic or disposed toward
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The honey bees were humming to the heart of the blossoms.
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading The pathos of her starved, unsympathetic existence, living in isolation among people as heavy as wet clay.
a Caucasian
From this reading Throwing herself full length upon the ground, she lay in a white drift of them.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading INSTEAD of resorting to the woods, her old friend, Esther made her way down to the plum thicket.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading An hour or more was given to heartrending sobs of utter grief and abandonment of everything in the whole world.
