AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
AlreadyadverbUS /ɔːlˈredi/
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
blazedverbUS /bleɪzd/
past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
brownnounUS /braʊn/
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
cloudverbUS /klaʊd/
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
countrysidenounUS /ˈkʌntrisaɪd/
rural regions
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
curiousadjectiveUS /ˈkjʊriəs/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading There was something mysteriously threatening in its dense heaviness.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
dryadjectiveUS /draɪ/
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
dulladjectiveUS /dʌl/
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
edgesnounUS /ˈedʒəz/
plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
endnounUS /end/
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
fiercelyadverbUS /ˈfɪrsli/
in a physically fierce manner
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
floatingadjectiveUS /ˈfloʊtɪŋ/
borne up by or suspended in a liquid
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
grassverbUS /ɡræs/
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
growingnounUS /ˈɡroʊɪŋ/
(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 HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
heavinessnoun
the property of being comparatively great in weight
From this reading There was something mysteriously threatening in its dense heaviness.
highadjectiveUS /haɪ/
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
HOW
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading There was something mysteriously threatening in its dense heaviness.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
mannounUS /mæn/
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
mistverbUS /mɪst/
become covered with mist
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
mysteriouslyadverbUS /ˌmɪˈstɪriəsli/
in a cryptic manner
From this reading There was something mysteriously threatening in its dense heaviness.
newsnounUS /nuːz/
information about recent and important events
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
obscureverbUS /əbsˈkjʊr/
make less visible or unclear
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
ownverbUS /oʊn/
have ownership or possession of
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
propertynounUS /ˈprɑːpərti/
something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
quicklyadverbUS /ˈkwɪkli/
with speed
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
RACEnounUS /reɪs/
any competition
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
racedverbUS /reɪst/
past form of “race” — move hurridly
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
raggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/
being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
RODEverbUS /roʊd/
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
runningadjectiveUS /ˈrʌnɪŋ/
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
sayverbUS /seɪ/
express in words
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
ShannonnounUS /ˈʃænən/
United States electrical engineer who pioneered mathematical communication theory (1916-2001)
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
skynounUS /skaɪ/
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/
a thing, without saying which
From this reading There was something mysteriously threatening in its dense heaviness.
spreadverbUS /spred/
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
sunnounUS /sʌn/
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
threatenedadjectiveUS /ˈθretənd/
(of flora or fauna) likely in the near future to become endangered
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
threateningadjectiveUS /ˈθretənɪŋ/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading There was something mysteriously threatening in its dense heaviness.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
towardsprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrdz/
in the direction of
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
trailedverbUS /treɪld/
past form of “trail” — to lag or linger behind
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
WALLYnounUS /ˈwɔːli/
a silly and inept person; someone who is regarded as stupid
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
wantedadjectiveUS /ˈwɔːntɪd/
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were other men running for their horses, as Wally raced towards Shannon.
westernadjectiveUS /ˈwestərn/
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading HOW WALLY RODE A RACE Already the cloud was growing in the western sky--so high that it threatened to obscure the sun that still blazed fiercely down.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
wholeadjectiveUS /hoʊl/
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
wisps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At first a dull brown, there was a curious light behind it; at the edges it trailed away into ragged wisps like floating mist.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The news of a grass fire had spread quickly, and every man wanted to be on his own property, for the whole countryside was covered with long, dry grass, and no one could say where a fire might or might not end.
