adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
absorptionnounUS /əbˈzɔːrpʃən/
(chemistry) a process in which one substance permeates another; a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
barsnounUS /bɑːrz/
gymnastic apparatus consisting of two parallel wooden rods supported on uprights
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
Birt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
boughsnounUS /baʊz/
plural of “bough” — any of the larger branches of a tree
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
cattlenounUS /ˈkætəl/
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
chestnut-oak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
cornnounUS /kɔːrn/
tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
cownounUS /kaʊ/
female of domestic cattle: "“moo-cow” is a child's term"
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
DespiteprepositionUS /dɪˈspaɪt/
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
difficultadjectiveUS /ˈdɪfəkəlt/
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
discoveredadjectiveUS /dɪˈskʌvərd/
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
drovenounUS /droʊv/
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
enoughnounUS /ɪˈnʌf/
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
EvenadjectiveUS /ˈiːvɪn/
divisible by two
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
familiaradjectiveUS /fəˈmɪljər/
well known or easily recognized
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
fenceverbUS /fens/
enclose with a fence
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
forgottenadjectiveUS /fərˈɡɑːt.n̩/
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
headnounUS /hed/
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
himpronounUS /hɪm/
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
jobnounUS /dʒɑːb/
the principal activity in your life that you do to earn money
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
lookingnounUS /ˈlʊkɪŋ/
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
milkedverbUS /mɪlkt/
past form of “milk” — take milk from female mammals
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
mountainnounUS /ˈmaʊntən/
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
pausedverbUS /pɔːzd/
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
putverbUS /pʊt/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
reachedverbUS /riːtʃt/
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
rememberingnounUS /rɪˈmembərɪŋ/
the cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
replaceverbUS /ˌriːˈpleɪs/
substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected)
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
Rufe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
strayverbUS /streɪ/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Rufe had forgotten to replace them that afternoon when he drove in the cow to be milked.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
upwardadjectiveUS /ˈʌpwərd/
directed up
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
vagrantnounUS /ˈveɪɡrənt/
a wanderer who has no established residence or visible means of support
From this reading Despite his absorption, Birt paused to put them up, remembering the vagrant mountain cattle that might stray in upon the corn.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He found the familiar little job difficult enough, for it seemed to him that there was never before so black a night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
WhenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading When Birt reached the fence, he discovered that the bars were down.
wind-tossed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even looking upward, he could not see the great wind-tossed boughs of the chestnut-oak above his head.
