used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
associationsnounUS /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “association” — a formal organization of people or groups of people
From this reading It had no associations ranging back into the mists.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading It had no associations ranging back into the mists.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
To consume or be consumed by fire.
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
a large and stately mansion
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
past form of “command” — be in command of
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
a small house with a single story
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
cultivatedadjectiveUS /ˈkʌltəveɪtɪd/
(of land or fields) prepared for raising crops by plowing or fertilizing
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
dellnounUS /del/
a small wooded hollow
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
farm-steading
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
a young female
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
Gowanbrae
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had no associations ranging back into the mists.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
historicaladjectiveUS /hɪˈstɔːrɪkəl/
of or relating to the study of history
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It had no associations ranging back into the mists.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had no associations ranging back into the mists.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
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 The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
mansion-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
mistsnounUS /mɪsts/
plural of “mist” — a thin fog with condensation near the ground
From this reading It had no associations ranging back into the mists.
moorlandsnounUS /ˈmʊrlændz/
plural of “moorland” — open land usually with peaty soil covered with heather and bracken and moss
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
Murkley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
not any; not one
From this reading It had no associations ranging back into the mists.
noisyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔɪzi/
full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
pasturesnounUS /ˈpæstʃərz/
plural of “pasture” — a field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
pebblesnounUS /ˈpebəlz/
plural of “pebble” — a small smooth rounded rock
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
rangingadjectiveUS /ˈreɪndʒɪŋ/
wandering freely
From this reading It had no associations ranging back into the mists.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
sparklingadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːrklɪŋ/
shining with brilliant points of light like stars
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
sweepverbUS /swiːp/
sweep across or over
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
trickledverbUS /ˈtrɪkəld/
past form of “trickle” — run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading It was half a cottage, half a country mansion-house, built upon a slope, so that the house was one story higher on one side than on the other.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The house of Gowanbrae was not an old historical house, like the castle of Murkley.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The view from the higher windows commanded a great sweep of country, long moorlands and pastures, with here and there a comfortable farm-steading, and a group of carefully cultivated fields.
woodedadjectiveUS /ˈwʊdɪd/
covered with growing trees and bushes etc
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The ground descended from the back to a wooded dell, in which ran a sparkling, noisy burn, like a cottage girl, always busy, singing about its work as it trickled over its pebbles.
