used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
on or to one side
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
baysnounUS /beɪz/
plural of “bay” — an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
breakersnounUS /ˈbreɪkərz/
waves breaking on the shore
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
lacking funds
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
cocoanutnoun
large hard-shelled oval nut with a fibrous husk containing thick white meat surrounding a central cavity filled (when fresh) with fluid or milk
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
one or the other of two
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
endlessadjectiveUS /ˈendləs/
tiresomely long; seemingly without end
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/
a wide scope
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
brought together in one place
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
https
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading See https:// The road skirts the shore.
hutsnounUS /hʌts/
plural of “hut” — temporary military shelter
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
the light of the Moon
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
not any; not one
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
palmsnounUS /pɑːmz/
plural of “palm” — the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
park-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
peasantrynounUS /ˈpezəntri/
the class of peasants
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
precisely, exactly
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
ripplesnounUS /ˈrɪpəlz/
plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading See https:// The road skirts the shore.
plural of “rock” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading On the left hand the long breakers of the Indian Ocean broke in ripples on the rocks in the many little bays.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading See https:// The road skirts the shore.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading See https:// The road skirts the shore.
skirtsnounUS /skɜːrts/
plural of “skirt” — cloth covering that forms the part of a garment below the waist
From this reading See https:// The road skirts the shore.
swardnounUS /swɔːrd/
surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots
From this reading In the distance a crowd had gathered on the sward, either seated on the grass or leaning against the palms.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading See https:// The road skirts the shore.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
in or at that place or location
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
top-knots
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
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 On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
vistanounUS /ˈvɪstə/
the visual percept of a region
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading On the right an endless vista of tall cocoanut palms waved their top-knots over a park-like expanse of grass, and the huts of the peasantry were visible here and there beneath the trees.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading I turned aside—no road was wanted—to see what brought them there that moonlight night.
