used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
beltsnounUS /belts/
plural of “belt” — endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
bushnounUS /bʊʃ/
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
placed crosswise
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
dykenounUS /daɪk/
(slang) offensive term for a lesbian who is noticeably masculine
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
dykesnounUS /daɪks/
plural of “dyke” — (slang) offensive term for a lesbian who is noticeably masculine
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
Ettrick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
apart from; not including
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
fencesnounUS /ˈfensəz/
plural of “fence” — a barrier that serves to enclose an area
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
gnarledadjectiveUS /nɑːrld/
used of old persons or old trees; covered with knobs or knots
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
harderadverbUS /ˈhɑːrdər/
comparative of “hard” — with effort or force or vigor
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
hazenounUS /heɪz/
atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
heathnounUS /hiːθ/
a low evergreen shrub of the family Ericaceae; has small bell-shaped pink or purple flowers
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
hoarseadjectiveUS /hɔːrs/
deep and harsh sounding as if from shouting or illness or emotion
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
become covered with mist
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
moorverbUS /mʊr/
secure in or as if in a berth or dock
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
mossnounUS /mɔːs/
tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
not any; not one
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
a course of conduct
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
one of four equal parts
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
a row or line of people (especially soldiers or police) standing abreast of one another
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
rattledadjectiveUS /ˈrætəld/
thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
rustyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌsti/
covered with or consisting of rust
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
cut with a saw
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
not in physical motion
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
strugglingadjectiveUS /ˈstrʌɡəlɪŋ/
engaged in a struggle to overcome especially poverty or obscurity
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
summitnounUS /ˈsʌmət/
the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
thornnounUS /θɔːrn/
something that causes irritation and annoyance
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Heavy rain met him on the summit, and after struggling on for a time he took shelter behind a broken dyke.
tracksnounUS /træks/
plural of “track” — a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
twigsnounUS /twɪɡz/
plural of “twig” — a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
twinedverbUS /twaɪnd/
past form of “twine” — spin, wind, or twist together
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
velvetyadjectiveUS /ˈvelvəti/
smooth and soft to sight or hearing or touch or taste
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
close enough to be walked to
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
at the time that
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
in or at the place that
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
windingadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/
marked by repeated turns and bends
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
wirenounUS /ˈwaɪər/
ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading Here and there a gnarled thorn bush rattled its dry twigs in the wind; there were bits of dykes and rusty wire fences, but he saw no path except the winding tracks the sheep had made.
WiryadjectiveUS /ˈwɪri/
lean and sinewy
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
witheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading Wiry grass twined about his feet, he sank in velvety green patches where the moss grew rank, and walking was harder when he crossed belts of withered heath.
(comparative of “bad”) inferior to another in quality or condition or desirability
From this reading The rain got worse and the moor was lost in mist a quarter of a mile away, but he heard a faint, hoarse sound in the haze below.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Still Ettrick water was not far off, and he would strike it if he held south.
