used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading At first they were shaken and afraid.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
avaricenounUS /ˈæv.ər.ɪs/
Extreme greed for wealth or material gain.
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
the entire physical structure of an organism (an animal, plant, or human being)
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
casements
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
a flow of electricity through a conductor
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
the first light of day
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/
the first light of day
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading At first they were shaken and afraid.
flowedverbUS /floʊd/
past form of “flow” — move or progress freely as if in a stream
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
fruit-blossoms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
plural of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
coins made of gold
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
laborsnounUS /ˈleɪbərz/
plural of “labor” — a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
larknounUS /lɑːrk/
North American songbirds having a yellow breast
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
mistyadjectiveUS /ˈmɪsti/
filled or abounding with fog or mist
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
oblivionnounUS /əˈblɪviən/
the state of being disregarded or forgotten
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
reapers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
reedsnounUS /riːdz/
plural of “reed” — tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
rootsnounUS /ruːts/
the condition of belonging to a particular place or group by virtue of social or ethnic or cultural lineage
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
rushesnounUS /ˈrʌʃəz/
plural of “rush” — the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
cut with a saw
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
scentnounUS /sɛnt/
A distinctive smell or aroma.
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
shakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/
disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock
From this reading At first they were shaken and afraid.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
skiesnounUS /skaɪz/
plural of “sky” — the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
slainnounUS /sleɪn/
people who have been slain (as in battle)
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
springtimenounUS /ˈsprɪŋtaɪm/
the season of growth
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
not in physical motion
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
sweepverbUS /swiːp/
sweep across or over
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
thrilledadjectiveUS /θrɪld/
feeling intense pleasurable excitement
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Then the gleam of the gold upon her limbs awakened avarice; and avarice was more powerful than fear.
vacantlyadverb
in a vacant manner
From this reading Resting from their labors, with the rushes slain around them, they, looking vacantly through the hollow casements, saw her body lying there at the feet of the gods of oblivion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
a Caucasian
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
in the company of; together with
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading They worked at dawn of day: the skies were gray and dark; the still and misty current flowed in with a full tide; the air was filled with the scent of white fruit-blossoms; in the hush of the daybreak the song of a lark thrilled the silence; under the sweep of the steel the reeds fell.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading In the springtime of the year three reapers cut to the roots the reeds that grew by the river.
