used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading From an invisible clearing came a cawing of crows.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading It was October, and the gum was the colour of blood.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
broom-sedge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading From an invisible clearing came a cawing of crows.
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
cawing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From an invisible clearing came a cawing of crows.
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading From an invisible clearing came a cawing of crows.
having or capable of producing colors
From this reading It was October, and the gum was the colour of blood.
crowsnounUS /kroʊz/
plural of “crow” — black birds having a raucous call
From this reading From an invisible clearing came a cawing of crows.
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading The road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From an invisible clearing came a cawing of crows.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading The road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
gumnounUS /ɡʌm/
a preparation (usually made of sweetened chicle) for chewing
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
invisibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɪzəbəl/
impossible or nearly impossible to see; imperceptible by the eye
From this reading From an invisible clearing came a cawing of crows.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was October, and the gum was the colour of blood.
league-deep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
ochrenounUS /ˈoʊkər/
any of various earths containing silica and alumina and ferric oxide; used as a pigment
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
OctobernounUS /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/
the month following September and preceding November
From this reading It was October, and the gum was the colour of blood.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
pinenounUS /paɪn/
a coniferous tree
From this reading The road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
pitchedadjectiveUS /pɪtʃt/
(of sound) set to a certain pitch or key; usually used as a combining form
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading The road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
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 road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
especially of petals or leaves in bud; having margins rolled inward
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
a male human offspring
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Behind it rolled the autumn forest; before it stretched a level of broom-sedge, bright ochre in the light of the setting sun.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The road ran across this golden plain, and disappeared in a league-deep wood of pine.
tobacco-roller
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was October, and the gum was the colour of blood.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading The tobacco-roller and his son pitched their camp beneath a gum tree upon the edge of the wood.
