used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
equally
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
in a state of sleep
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
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 could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
distinguishverbUS /dɪˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
mark as different
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
Dunbar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
firsnounUS /fɜːrz/
plural of “fir” — nonresinous wood of a fir tree
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
footfallnounUS /ˈfʊtfɔːl/
the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
glitteringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪtərɪŋ/
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
hardyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdi/
having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
landmarksnounUS /ˈlændmɑːrks/
plural of “landmark” — the position of a prominent or well-known object in a particular landscape
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
landscapenounUS /ˈlændskeɪp/
an expanse of scenery that can be seen in a single view
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
leantverbUS /ˈliːənt/
inflected form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/
plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
and nothing more
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
outlinenounUS /ˈaʊtlaɪn/
the line that appears to bound an object
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/
lacking in magnitude or quantity
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
shroudverbUS /ʃraʊd/
cover as if with a shroud
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
stainlessnounUS /ˈsteɪnləs/
steel containing chromium that makes it resistant to corrosion
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading STOPPED UPON THE WAY.
possessing sweep
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading STOPPED UPON THE WAY.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
create by training and teaching
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
unsulliedadjectiveUS /ənˈsʌlid/
spotlessly clean and fresh
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
UPONprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading STOPPED UPON THE WAY.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading The country was all so much alike under its thick shroud of snow, that Mr. Dunbar tried in vain to distinguish any landmarks upon the way.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading STOPPED UPON THE WAY.
in or at the place that
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
a Caucasian
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
whitenessnounUS /ˈwaɪtnəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of greatest lightness (bearing the least resemblance to black)
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading But he was not asleep, he was only thinking; and every now and then he bent forward, and looked out of the window into the darkness of the night.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mr. Dunbar leant back in the corner of his comfortable seat, with his eyes closed.
woodlandnounUS /ˈwʊdlænd/
land that is covered with trees and shrubs
From this reading He could only distinguish the faint outline of the landscape as the train swept on upon its way, past low meadows, where the snow lay white and stainless, unsullied by a passing footfall; and scanty patches of woodland, where the hardy firs looked black against the glittering whiteness of the ground.
