used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
completely unclothed
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was the week before Christmas, and the season unwontedly mild.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
CARY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading It was the week before Christmas, and the season unwontedly mild.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
doorstepnounUS /ˈdɔːrstep/
the sill of a door; a horizontal piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
FAIRFAX
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
featherverbUS /ˈfeðər/
join tongue and groove, in carpentry
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/
past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
grapevinenounUS /ˈɡreɪpvaɪn/
gossip spread by spoken communication
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
conformity or harmony
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/
moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme
From this reading It was the week before Christmas, and the season unwontedly mild.
Mocket's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
not any; not one
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
out-of-doorsnoun
where the air is unconfined
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
a light shade of red
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
prince'snounUS /ˈprɪnsɪz/
possessive form of “prince” — a male member of a royal family other than the sovereign (especially the son of a sovereign)
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
RaggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/
being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading It was the week before Christmas, and the season unwontedly mild.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
shawlnounUS /ʃɔːl/
cloak consisting of an oblong piece of cloth used to cover the head and shoulders
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
in or at or to some place
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
the season of growth
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
stalkverbUS /stɔːk/
walk stiffly
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
stemsnounUS /stemz/
plural of “stem” — (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
male cat
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
twistedadjectiveUS /ˈtwɪstɪd/
having an intended meaning altered or misrepresented
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
unwontedlyadverb
in an unusual manner
From this reading It was the week before Christmas, and the season unwontedly mild.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
Vinie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading It was the week before Christmas, and the season unwontedly mild.
at the time that
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
in or at the place that
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The sun shone bright, however, on this day, and as there was no wind, it was not hard to imagine it warm out-of-doors and the spring somewhere in keeping.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading FAIRFAX CARY The December frost lay hard upon the ground, and a pale winter sky gleamed above and between bare limbs of trees.
witheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading Vinie, seated upon the doorstep in the sun, a grey shawl around her shoulders and her pink chin in her hand, stared at the Ragged Mountains and wondered when Tom was coming to dinner.
zinnianounUS /ˈzɪniə/
any of various plants of the genus Zinnia cultivated for their variously and brightly colored flower heads
From this reading In Vinie Mocket's garden withered and bent stalk showed where had been zinnia and prince's feather, and the grapevine over the porch was but a mass of twisted stems.
