used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
belfrynounUS /ˈbelfri/
a bell tower; usually stands alone unattached to a building
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
rid of obstructions
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
furrowverbUS /ˈfɜːroʊ/
hollow out in the form of a furrow or groove
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
ladsnounUS /lædz/
plural of “lad” — a boy or man
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
MilkyadjectiveUS /ˈmɪlki/
resembling milk in color; not clear
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
other's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
ploughedadjectiveUS /plaʊd/
(of farmland) broken and turned over with a plow
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
raggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/
being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
San
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
shapesnounUS /ʃeɪps/
plural of “shape” — any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
SheeradjectiveUS /ʃɪr/
complete and without restriction or qualification; sometimes used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
spangledadjectiveUS /ˈspæŋɡəld/
covered with beads or jewels or sequins
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
make square
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
star-shine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
not in physical motion
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
thicklyadverbUS /ˈθɪkli/
spoken with poor articulation as if with a thick tongue
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
vaultnounUS /vɒlt/
An arched structure of masonry forming a ceiling, or a secure subterranean storage room.
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
wedgenounUS /wedʒ/
any shape that is triangular in cross section
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The stars were so thickly spread, so clear and hot, that there was light enough for the lads to see each other's faces, the rough shapes of each other.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Sheer through the Milky Way it ploughed a broad furrow, which ended in a ragged edge.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers
From this reading It was a very still night, of wonderful star-shine, but without a moon.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading You would never have seen that if it had not been a clear night.
ZenonounUS /ˈzeɪnoʊ/
ancient Greek philosopher who formulated paradoxes that defended the belief that motion and change are illusory (circa 495-430 BC)
From this reading It was light enough to notice how the square belfry of San Zeno cut a wedge of black into the spangled blue vault.
