used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a hot and thirsty day.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After him stumbled a girl with a chubby baby in her arms.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a hot and thirsty day.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading After him stumbled a girl with a chubby baby in her arms.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading After him stumbled a girl with a chubby baby in her arms.
a container that is usually woven and has handles
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind it the hill rose sharply, steeped in sunshine.
a youthful male person
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
a tight-fitting headdress
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
chubbyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃʌbi/
sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure
From this reading After him stumbled a girl with a chubby baby in her arms.
a small house with a single story
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
cownounUS /kaʊ/
female of domestic cattle: "“moo-cow” is a child's term"
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
curvingadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrvɪŋ/
having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It was a hot and thirsty day.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
opinion or judgment
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
a young female
From this reading After him stumbled a girl with a chubby baby in her arms.
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading After him stumbled a girl with a chubby baby in her arms.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Behind it the hill rose sharply, steeped in sunshine.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading After him stumbled a girl with a chubby baby in her arms.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading It was a hot and thirsty day.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a hot and thirsty day.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Behind it the hill rose sharply, steeped in sunshine.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
in an aggressive manner
From this reading Behind it the hill rose sharply, steeped in sunshine.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
slungverbUS /slʌŋ/
inflected form of “sling” — hurl as if with a sling
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
spottedadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːtɪd/
having spots or patches (small areas of contrasting color or texture)
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
steepedverbUS /stiːpt/
past form of “steep” — devote (oneself) fully to
From this reading Behind it the hill rose sharply, steeped in sunshine.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
stumbledverbUS /ˈstʌmbəld/
past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily
From this reading After him stumbled a girl with a chubby baby in her arms.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Behind it the hill rose sharply, steeped in sunshine.
thatchnounUS /θætʃ/
hair resembling thatched roofing material
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
thirstyadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːrsti/
needing moisture
From this reading It was a hot and thirsty day.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
toiledverbUS /tɔɪld/
past form of “toil” — work hard
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A boy, leading a spotted cow, toiled up the slope, an empty basket slung over his shoulder.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a hot and thirsty day.
wellsweep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the hollow a curving wellsweep stood guard over a cottage with a thatch, which, like a rough cap, was pulled down to the two little eyes of the house.
