AFTERprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading AFTER THIRTY YEARS.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
(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 All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
birches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
budsnounUS /bʌdz/
plural of “bud” — a partially opened flower
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
caringnounUS /ˈkerɪŋ/
a loving feeling
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
feeling or showing worry or solicitude
From this reading All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
emigrantnounUS /ˈeməɡrənt/
someone who leaves one country to settle in another
From this reading All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
evergreennounUS /ˈevərɡriːn/
a plant having foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
depressingly dark
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
homesnounUS /hoʊmz/
plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Sweden once more!
mottledadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːtəld/
having spots or patches of color
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
of an obscure nature
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
nourishingadjectiveUS /ˈnɜːrɪʃɪŋ/
of or providing nourishment
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
on one occasion
From this reading Sweden once more!
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
except for; apart from
From this reading All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
skirtedverbUS /ˈskɜːrtɪd/
past form of “skirt” — avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing (duties, questions, or issues)
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
speciallyadverbUS /ˈspeʃəli/
in a special manner
From this reading All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
the season of growth
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
spruces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
stemsnounUS /stemz/
plural of “stem” — (linguistics) the form of a word after all affixes are removed
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
sunningverbUS /ˈsʌnɪŋ/
inflected form of “sun” — expose one's body to the sun
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
SwedennounUS /ˈswiːdən/
a Scandinavian kingdom in the eastern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula
From this reading Sweden once more!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
thicketsnounUS /ˈθɪkəts/
plural of “thicket” — a dense growth of bushes
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
the cardinal number that is the product of ten and three
From this reading AFTER THIRTY YEARS.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
twigverbUS /twɪɡ/
branch out in a twiglike manner
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
unchangedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʃeɪndʒd/
not made or become different
From this reading All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
veteransnounUS /ˈvetərənz/
plural of “veteran” — a serviceman who has seen considerable active service
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The familiar homes far back from the road, he remembered them well.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading All seemed unchanged after thirty years, save the emigrant and whatever specially concerned him.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The slender birches were sunning their mottled stems in the warm spring air; the evergreen woods rose dark and mysterious; while the glad little spruces that skirted the thickets were nourishing soft buds on every twig, little caring that they would in time be as gloomy and solemn as the grand old veterans of the forest behind them.
a late time of life
From this reading AFTER THIRTY YEARS.
