used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
absent-mindedness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading He had watched the slowly drifting apart of the lovers with wonder and delight.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
next to; at the side of
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
bonnetnounUS /ˈbɑːnət/
a hat tied under the chin
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
brooknounUS /brʊk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading He had watched the slowly drifting apart of the lovers with wonder and delight.
dreamilyadverb
in a dreamy manner
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
driftingnounUS /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/
aimless wandering from place to place
From this reading He had watched the slowly drifting apart of the lovers with wonder and delight.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
feveredadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərd/
highly or nervously excited
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
set up or found
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
GilbertnounUS /ˈɡɪlbərt/
a unit of magnetomotive force equal to 0.7958 ampere-turns
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
in a gradual manner
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
habitualadjectiveUS /həˈbɪtʃuːəl/
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
harshnessnounUS /ˈhɑːrʃnəs/
the roughness of a substance that causes abrasions
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
immediately past
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
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 He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
linennounUS /ˈlɪnən/
a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
not compact or dense in structure or arrangement
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
loversnounUS /ˈlʌvərz/
plural of “lover” — a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
From this reading He had watched the slowly drifting apart of the lovers with wonder and delight.
move something or somebody to a lower position
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
meltedadjectiveUS /ˈmeltəd/
changed from a solid to a liquid state
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
Mossgiel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
removingverbUS /riˈmuːvɪŋ/
-ing form of “remove” — remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
reprovingadjective
expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
reservenounUS /rɪˈzɜːrv/
formality and propriety of manner
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
reveriesnounUS /ˈrevəriz/
plural of “revery” — an abstracted state of absorption
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
plural of “run” — a score in baseball made by a runner touching all four bases safely
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
scrapnounUS /skræp/
a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
sequesteredadjectiveUS /sɪˈkwestərd/
providing privacy or seclusion
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
severitynounUS /sɪˈverɪti/
used of the degree of something undesirable e.g. pain or weather
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
shirtnounUS /ʃɜːrt/
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
a sudden outburst of anger
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
in or at that place or location
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
thoughtlessnessnoun
the quality of failing to be considerate of others
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
subjected to a physical (or chemical) treatment or action or agent
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
trickleverbUS /ˈtrɪkəl/
run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
unbleachedadjective
not artificially colored or bleached
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading He had watched the slowly drifting apart of the lovers with wonder and delight.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading The last few weeks Gilbert had thrown off his cloak of habitual reserve, and had treated his brother with less harshness, less severity.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In a sequestered spot beside the brook which runs through the lower end of the big field at Mossgiel farm, Robert sat dreamily watching the shallow brook at his feet slowly trickle along over the stones.
which person or people
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had left the field, his heart filled with anger against his brother, who had been reproving him for his thoughtlessness, his absent-mindedness; but gradually his temper had melted, and removing his bonnet from his fevered brow, he had given himself up to his reveries.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading He had watched the slowly drifting apart of the lovers with wonder and delight.
the act of creating written works
From this reading A little later Gilbert found him there, his loose unbleached linen shirt open at the neck, eagerly writing on a scrap of paper he held in his hand.
