used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
archnounUS /ɑːrtʃ/
a curved shape in the vertical plane that spans an opening
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
babiesnounUS /ˈbeɪbiz/
plural of “baby” — a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
carpetedadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːrpətɪd/
covered with or as if with carpeting or with carpeting as specified; often used in combination
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
children's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
DotnounUS /dɑːt/
a very small circular shape
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
constituting the full quantity or extent; complete
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
to or in any or all places
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
floodedadjectiveUS /ˈflʌdəd/
covered with water
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
set up or found
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
in a gradual manner
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
glidedverbUS /ˈɡlaɪdɪd/
past form of “glide” — move smoothly and effortlessly
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
plural of “hundred” — ten 10s
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
jaggedadjectiveUS /ˈdʒæɡəd/
having a sharply uneven surface or outline
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
meltedadjectiveUS /ˈmeltəd/
changed from a solid to a liquid state
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
mossnounUS /mɔːs/
tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
used to form the superlative
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
nakedadjectiveUS /ˈneɪkəd/
completely unclothed
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
peacefuladjectiveUS /ˈpiːsfəl/
not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
perfumenounUS /pərˈfjuːm/
a distinctive odor that is pleasant
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
plushadjectiveUS /plʌʃ/
characterized by extravagance and profusion
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
raysnounUS /reɪz/
plural of “ray” — a column of light (as from a beacon)
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
shapedadjectiveUS /ʃeɪpt/
shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
without speaking
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
silkenadjectiveUS /ˈsɪlkən/
having a smooth, gleaming surface reflecting light
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
slopingadjectiveUS /ˈsloʊpɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
soothingadjectiveUS /ˈsuːðɪŋ/
affording physical relief
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
strainsnounUS /streɪnz/
plural of “strain” — (physics) deformation of a physical body under the action of applied forces
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
the rays of the sun
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
surroundingadjectiveUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋ/
closely encircling
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
thicklyadverbUS /ˈθɪkli/
spoken with poor articulation as if with a thick tongue
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
one of three equal parts of a divisible whole
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
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 There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Then the jagged rocks surrounding them melted away in the rear, and they passed into a country that lay peaceful and smiling under the pleasant rays of the sun.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Soft strains of sweet and soothing music fell upon the ears of the children as the boat glided silently through the arch that led into the Third Valley.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
a Caucasian
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
wide-spreading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There were a few trees, with wide-spreading branches, and upon these grew beautiful flowers that filled the air with delicate perfume, but in most places the Valley, which was shaped like a great cup with gently sloping sides, was open to the warm rays of summer sunshine which flooded it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At first, Dot thought the entire Valley was carpeted with soft, white plush, but afterward she found it was a silken moss which grew thickly everywhere.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading The entire scene was pretty to look upon; but what made the children's eyes open wide with wonder was the sight of hundreds of little, naked babies lying about upon the soft moss.
