used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN INTERRUPTED DEPARTURE.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading In the Black Woods the shadows were dense.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
burnishedadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrnɪʃt/
made smooth and bright by or as if by rubbing; reflecting a sheen or glow
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
small room on a ship or boat where people sleep
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading In the Black Woods the shadows were dense.
the act of departing
From this reading AN INTERRUPTED DEPARTURE.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
gleamingnounUS /ˈɡliːmɪŋ/
a flash of light (especially reflected light)
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the Black Woods the shadows were dense.
discontinued temporarily
From this reading AN INTERRUPTED DEPARTURE.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
the light of the Moon
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
peaksnounUS /piːks/
plural of “peak” — the most extreme possible amount or value
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
raggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/
being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
sereneadjectiveUS /sərˈiːn/
not agitated; without losing self-possession
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading In the Black Woods the shadows were dense.
sheddingnounUS /ˈʃedɪŋ/
the process whereby something is shed
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
siftedverbUS /ˈsɪftɪd/
past form of “sift” — move as if through a sieve
From this reading The moonlight sifted down and fell on the front of the little cabin, but the rear of the cabin was in darkness.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
snow-cappedadjective
(of mountains) capped with a covering of snow
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
not in physical motion
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In the Black Woods the shadows were dense.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Away to the west stood the ragged mountains, with the stars gleaming bright above their snow-capped peaks.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The night was still and serene, with a large round moon, clear as burnished silver, shedding its light down into Pleasant Valley.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading In the Black Woods the shadows were dense.
