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Hope Mills
Hope Mills

Chapter VII

Cover illustration for Hope Mills
Context Illustration Reading 1/53 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
Autumn had set in early this year.
There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Hope Mills

Chapter VII

Reading 1/53 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.
Line 2
Autumn had set in early this year.
Line 3
There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.
Line 4
The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.
Line 5
Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

Learner Dictionary

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, audio, and collocations from this reading.

Been auxiliary verb US /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading “There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.”

Every determiner US /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading “Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."”

First noun US /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.”

Foot noun US /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.”

Never noun US /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."”

One pronoun US /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading “There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.”

Quite noun US /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading “There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.”

Something pronoun US /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading “Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."”

Under preposition US /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading “There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.”

Waste noun US /weɪst/

an empty, uncultivated area of land

From this reading “Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."”

All words in this reading · 88

Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

adorned

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

aped

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

atprepositionUS /æt/

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

Autumn

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.

baked

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

became

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

changed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

charms

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

city

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

clean

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

cold

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

completed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

cottages

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

country-town

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

day

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

December

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

destroyed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

dull

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

early

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.

everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

farms

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

firstnounUS /first/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

florid

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

foliage

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

footnounUS /foot/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

frosts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

grand

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

gray

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

greatest

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

ground

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.

houses

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.

ITpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

laid

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

late

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

magnificent

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

making

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

mass

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

middle

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

much

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

nearly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

nevernounUS /never/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

night

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

ominous

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

onepronounUS /wʌn/

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

pedestrians

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

placard

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

pretentious

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

pretty

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

quagmires

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

quitenounUS /quite/

an important story-specific word used in this passage

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

rain

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

rows

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

ruts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

Sale

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

set

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.

sharp

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

small

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

sodden

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

somethingpronounUS /ˈsʌmθɪŋ/

a thing, without saying which

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

streets

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

There

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.

thoroughly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

thriving

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

trodden

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

unfinished

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

unpaved

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The ground was baked by sharp frosts at night, making the unpaved streets a mass of ruts early and late, and quagmires in the middle of the day.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading IT was a dull, gray day, the first of December.

wastenounUS /weɪst/

an empty, uncultivated area of land

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

week

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

year

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Autumn had set in early this year.

Yerbury

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Yerbury had changed much from the pretty, clean, thriving country-town, to something that aped a grand city; unfinished streets, small farms laid waste, rows of pretentious houses or florid cottages that had never been thoroughly completed, nearly every one adorned with the ominous placard, "For Sale."

Yerbury's

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There had been a week of cold rain that had quite destroyed the magnificent foliage, one of Yerbury's greatest charms; and it became a sodden mass, trodden under foot by pedestrians.