used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Already the camp fire was crackling.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Philip rose and dressed.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading Already the camp fire was crackling.
cracklingnounUS /ˈkræklɪŋ/
the residue that remains after animal fat has been rendered
From this reading Already the camp fire was crackling.
the first light of day
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading Philip rose and dressed.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Already the camp fire was crackling.
fishingnounUS /ˈfɪʃɪŋ/
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
flapverbUS /flæp/
move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
ghostlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊstli/
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
a young female
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
glimmered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
hollowsnounUS /ˈhɑːloʊz/
plural of “hollow” — a cavity or space in something
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
iridescencenoun
the visual property of something having a milky brightness and a play of colors from the surface
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
melodynounUS /ˈmelədi/
a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
opalineadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpəliːn/
having a play of lustrous rainbow colors
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
pearlyadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrli/
of a white the color of pearls
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading Philip rose and dressed.
Philip'snounUS /ˈfɪləps/
possessive form of “philip” — Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
rifeadjectiveUS /raɪf/
most frequent or common
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Philip rose and dressed.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
with low volume
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
a portable shelter (usually of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs)
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
twittering
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
velvetnounUS /ˈvelvət/
a silky densely piled fabric with a plain back
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
in or at the place that
From this reading Beyond, through the ghostly trees where the river glimmered in the gray dawn with a pearly iridescence, a girl was fishing.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
woodedadjectiveUS /ˈwʊdɪd/
covered with growing trees and bushes etc
From this reading There were deeper shadows in the hollows but the sky behind the wooded ridge to the east was softly opaline.
WOODLANDnounUS /ˈwʊdlænd/
land that is covered with trees and shrubs
From this reading A WOODLAND GUEST There was gray beyond the flap of Philip's tent, a velvet stillness rife with the melody of twittering birds.
