used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
the month following July and preceding September
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
Charley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
hennounUS /hen/
adult female chicken
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/
in an idle manner
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
knittingnounUS /ˈnɪtɪŋ/
needlework created by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops using straight eyeless needles or by machine
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
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 From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
meadownounUS /ˈmedoʊ/
a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
motherlyadjectiveUS /ˈmʌðərli/
befitting a mother; warm and nurturing
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
moundnounUS /maʊnd/
(baseball) the slight elevation on which the pitcher stands
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
oppressiveadjectiveUS /əˈpresɪv/
weighing heavily on the senses or spirit
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
affording pleasure; being in harmony with your taste or likings
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
poultry-yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
rambledverbUS /ˈræmbəld/
past form of “ramble” — continue talking or writing in a desultory manner
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
reading-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
ruffleverbUS /ˈrʌfəl/
stir up (water) so as to form ripples
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
SarahnounUS /ˈserə/
(Old Testament) the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
Sarah'snounUS /ˈserəz/
possessive form of “sarah” — (Old Testament) the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
smoothlyadverbUS /ˈsmuːðli/
with no problems or difficulties
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
not in physical motion
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
strayverbUS /streɪ/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
the rays of the sun
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
tiptoedverbUS /ˈtɪptoʊd/
past form of “tiptoe” — walk on one's toes
From this reading From the poultry-yard on the left arose a pleasant murmur, and now and then a stray hen tiptoed around the end of the house, singing idly as she rambled.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a still, but not oppressive August afternoon.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Aunt Sarah sat in the wide porch at the back of her house, knitting in hand.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Charley lay on the green mound--his old reading-room--with a book before him, and to him Aunt Sarah's motherly eyes turned most frequently.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading There was not a ruffle on the bright surface of the river, and the long meadow grass was as smoothly spread out in the yellow sunshine.
