used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
campedverbUS /kæmpt/
past form of “camp” — live in or as if in a tent
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
clumpsnounUS /klʌmps/
plural of “clump” — a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
past form of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Moaning in his sleep, Dick sat up and commenced rubbing his eyes.
coulee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
crumblingverbUS /ˈkrʌmbəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “crumble” — fall apart
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
someone who is a detective
From this reading THROUGH THE FLAMES That night Dick slept fitfully.
apart from; not including
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Moaning in his sleep, Dick sat up and commenced rubbing his eyes.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
fitfullyadverbUS /ˈfɪtfəli/
in a fitful manner
From this reading THROUGH THE FLAMES That night Dick slept fitfully.
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading THROUGH THE FLAMES That night Dick slept fitfully.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
fringenounUS /frɪndʒ/
the outside boundary or surface of something
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then he paused to stare in open-mouthed wonder.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Moaning in his sleep, Dick sat up and commenced rubbing his eyes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
a small worthless amount
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
having or showing great strength or force or intensity
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
MoaningverbUS /ˈmoʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “moan” — indicate pain, discomfort, or displeasure
From this reading Moaning in his sleep, Dick sat up and commenced rubbing his eyes.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading THROUGH THE FLAMES That night Dick slept fitfully.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
open-mouthed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he paused to stare in open-mouthed wonder.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Then he paused to stare in open-mouthed wonder.
perpendicularnounUS /ˌpɜːrpənˈdɪkjələr/
a straight line at right angles to another line
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
pinenounUS /paɪn/
a coniferous tree
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
rubbingnounUS /ˈrʌbɪŋ/
the resistance encountered when one body is moved in contact with another
From this reading Moaning in his sleep, Dick sat up and commenced rubbing his eyes.
sandstonenounUS /ˈsændstoʊn/
a sedimentary rock consisting of sand consolidated with some cement (clay or quartz etc.)
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Moaning in his sleep, Dick sat up and commenced rubbing his eyes.
shalenounUS /ʃeɪl/
a sedimentary rock formed by the deposition of successive layers of clay
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Moaning in his sleep, Dick sat up and commenced rubbing his eyes.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading THROUGH THE FLAMES That night Dick slept fitfully.
sprucenounUS /spruːs/
light soft moderately strong wood of spruce trees; used especially for timbers and millwork
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
stareverbUS /ster/
look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Then he paused to stare in open-mouthed wonder.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THROUGH THE FLAMES That night Dick slept fitfully.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THROUGH THE FLAMES That night Dick slept fitfully.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he paused to stare in open-mouthed wonder.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THROUGH THE FLAMES That night Dick slept fitfully.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then he paused to stare in open-mouthed wonder.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
unwoodedadjective
not wooded
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Moaning in his sleep, Dick sat up and commenced rubbing his eyes.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
in or at the place that
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Straight above them, at the top of an almost perpendicular wall of red shale and crumbling sandstone, was a dark fringe, which marked the beginning of a mighty forest of spruce and jack pine.
willownounUS /ˈwɪloʊ/
any of numerous deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix
From this reading The place where they had camped was in a deep coulee, unwooded except for a few clumps of red willow.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading Then he paused to stare in open-mouthed wonder.
