used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
bendverbUS /bend/
form a curve
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
brinknounUS /brɪŋk/
a region marking a boundary
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
circlingverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
curvesnounUS /kɜːrvz/
plural of “curve” — the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
damnounUS /dæm/
a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
ducksnounUS /dʌks/
plural of “duck” — small wild or domesticated web-footed broad-billed swimming bird usually having a depressed body and short legs
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
flightsnounUS /flaɪts/
plural of “flight” — a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
geesenounUS /ɡiːs/
plural of “goose” — web-footed long-necked typically gregarious migratory aquatic birds usually larger and less aquatic than ducks
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
HOMELANDnounUS /ˈhoʊmlænd/
the country where you were born
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
lushadjectiveUS /lʌʃ/
produced or growing in extreme abundance
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/
plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
millverbUS /mɪl/
move about in a confused manner
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
a form of address for a man
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
muskratsnounUS /ˈmʌskrætz/
plural of “muskrat” — the brown fur of a muskrat
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
not any; not one
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
and nothing more
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
ottersnounUS /ˈɑːtərz/
plural of “otter” — the fur of an otter
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
a place (seaport or airport) where people and merchandise can enter or leave a country
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
one of four equal parts
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
RALPH'S
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
Rudemeir's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
cut with a saw
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
slopedadjective
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
not in physical motion
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
successive (without a break)
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
possessing sweep
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading RALPH’S HOMELAND At the bend of the road the land sloped suddenly straight for the river brink.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A quarter of a mile below was the dam, above Mr. Rudemeir’s red saw mill.
waterfowlnounUS /ˈwɔːtərfaʊl/
freshwater aquatic bird
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were no buildings on it, only broad low lush meadows that provided a home for muskrats and waterfowl.
widenedverbUS /ˈwaɪdənd/
past form of “widen” — become broader or wider or more extensive
From this reading Little River widened at this point, and swept in curves around a little island.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Late in the fall fat otters could be seen circling around the still waters, and wild geese and ducks made it a port of call in their flights north and south.
