AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
apple-trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
backadverbUS /bæk/
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
bareadjectiveUS /ber/
completely unclothed
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
bednounUS /bed/
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
birdnounUS /bɜːrd/
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
blossomverbUS /ˈblɑːsəm/
produce or yield flowers
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
breathlessadjectiveUS /ˈbreθləs/
not breathing or able to breathe except with difficulty
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The campus too was bright in its new livery.
brownnounUS /braʊn/
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
budnounUS /bʌd/
a partially opened flower
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
campusnounUS /ˈkæmpəs/
a field on which the buildings of a university are situated
From this reading The campus too was bright in its new livery.
collegenounUS /ˈkɑːlɪdʒ/
the body of faculty and students of a college
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
comingnounUS /ˈkʌmɪŋ/
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
cupsnounUS /kʌps/
plural of “cup” — a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
delicateadjectiveUS /ˈdeləkət/
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
entrancenounUS /ˈentrəns/
something that provides access (to get in or get out)
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
flauntedverbUS /ˈflɔːntɪd/
past form of “flaunt” — display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
freshadjectiveUS /freʃ/
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
frontnounUS /frʌnt/
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
gayadjectiveUS /ɡeɪ/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
glorynounUS /ˈɡlɔːri/
a state of high honor
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/
coins made of gold
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
greennounUS /ɡriːn/
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
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 The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
hallnounUS /hɔːl/
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
HardingnounUS /ˈhɑːrdɪŋ/
29th President of the United States; two of his appointees were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal (1865-1823)
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
heatnounUS /hiːt/
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
Hilton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
HousenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The campus too was bright in its new livery.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The campus too was bright in its new livery.
lastadjectiveUS /læst/
immediately past
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
lateadjectiveUS /leɪt/
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
liverynounUS /ˈlɪvəri/
uniform worn by some menservants and chauffeurs
From this reading The campus too was bright in its new livery.
MAY-DAY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
midsummernounUS /ˈmɪdˈsʌmər/
June 21, when the sun is at its northernmost point
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
mistverbUS /mɪst/
become covered with mist
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
narcissusnounUS /nɑːrˈsɪsəs/
bulbous plant having erect linear leaves and showy yellow or white flowers either solitary or in clusters
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
newadjectiveUS /nuː/
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading The campus too was bright in its new livery.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
ParadisenounUS /ˈperədaɪs/
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
perfumenounUS /pərˈfjuːm/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
pinknounUS /pɪŋk/
a light shade of red
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
presagedverbUS /ˈpresɪdʒd/
past form of “presage” — indicate, as with a sign or an omen
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
RESOLUTIONnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃən/
a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
rushverbUS /rʌʃ/
move hurridly
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
sidenounUS /saɪd/
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
smellnounUS /smel/
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
softadjectiveUS /sɑːft/
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
songsnounUS /sɔːŋz/
plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
springnounUS /sprɪŋ/
the season of growth
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
suddenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌdən/
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
sunshinenounUS /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/
the rays of the sun
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
sweetenedadjectiveUS /ˈswiːtənd/
with sweetening added
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
tooadverbUS /tuː/
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The campus too was bright in its new livery.
tulipsnounUS /ˈtuːləps/
plural of “tulip” — any of numerous perennial bulbous herbs having linear or broadly lanceolate leaves and usually a single showy flower
From this reading The tulips in front of the Hilton House flaunted their scarlet and gold cups in the sunshine.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The campus too was bright in its new livery.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading A MAY-DAY RESOLUTION The spring had been a late one at Harding, but it had come at last with a sudden rush and a glare of breathless midsummer heat.
woodsnounUS /wʊdz/
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
wrappedadjectiveUS /ræpt/
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading The great bed of narcissus around the side entrance of college hall sweetened the air with its delicate perfume, and out on the back campus the apple-trees, bare and brown only a day or so before, were wrapped in a soft pink mist that presaged the coming glory of bud and blossom.
youngadjectiveUS /jʌŋ/
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The woods of Paradise were alive with fresh young green, gay with bird songs, sweet with the smell of growing things.
