adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Plainly a bird-butterfly, it flew with a certain swallowy double.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
aroundprepositionUS /ərˈaʊnd/
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
arrestingadjectiveUS /ərˈestɪŋ/
commanding attention
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
AsconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
attendantnounUS /əˈtendənt/
someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
bird-butterfly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plainly a bird-butterfly, it flew with a certain swallowy double.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
blazedverbUS /bleɪzd/
past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
certainadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrtən/
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading Plainly a bird-butterfly, it flew with a certain swallowy double.
closedadjectiveUS /kloʊzd/
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
coloursnounUS /ˈkʌlərz/
a distinguishing emblem
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
doubleverbUS /ˈdʌbəl/
increase twofold
From this reading Plainly a bird-butterfly, it flew with a certain swallowy double.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
flashedverbUS /flæʃt/
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
flewverbUS /fluː/
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
flightnounUS /flaɪt/
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
flutteringnounUS /ˈflʌtərɪŋ/
the motion made by flapping up and down
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
grewverbUS /ɡruː/
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
grownadjectiveUS /ɡroʊn/
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
hoveredverbUS /ˈhʌvərd/
past form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
largeradjectiveUS /ˈlɑːrdʒər/
large or big relative to something else
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
lengthnounUS /leŋkθ/
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
lingeringnounUS /ˈlɪŋɡərɪŋ/
the act of tarrying
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
lookedverbUS /lʊkt/
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
luminousadjectiveUS /ˈluːmənəs/
softly bright or radiant
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
nearlyadverbUS /ˈnɪrli/
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
PlainlyadverbUS /ˈpleɪnli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Plainly a bird-butterfly, it flew with a certain swallowy double.
radiancenounUS /ˈreɪdiːəns/
the amount of electromagnetic radiation leaving or arriving at a point on a surface
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
rainbownounUS /ˈreɪnboʊ/
an arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rain
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
rockyadjectiveUS /ˈrɑːki/
abounding in rocks or stones
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
shadownounUS /ˈʃæd.oʊ/
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
soonadverbUS /suːn/
in the near future
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
spotsnounUS /spɑːts/
spots before the eyes caused by opaque cell fragments in the vitreous humor and lens
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
squareverbUS /skwer/
make square
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
swallowy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Plainly a bird-butterfly, it flew with a certain swallowy double.
swiftlyadverbUS /ˈswɪftli/
in a swift manner
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
thenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Every time I looked up, it seemed to have grown larger, and at length gave me an attendant shadow.
veryadjectiveUS /ˈveri/
precisely as stated
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
waitingnounUS /ˈweɪtɪŋ/
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading So soon as I came under its radiance, it flew slowly on, lingering now and then above spots where the ground was rocky.
wingsnounUS /wɪŋz/
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed all the colours of the rainbow.
winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading As the air grew black and the winter closed swiftly around me, the fluttering fire blazed out more luminous, and arresting its flight, hovered waiting.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Plainly a bird-butterfly, it flew with a certain swallowy double.
