used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
acquireverbUS /əˈkwaɪər/
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
Carrington
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
coldnessnounUS /ˈkoʊldnəs/
the sensation produced by low temperatures
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
coulee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
cuttingnounUS /ˈkʌtɪŋ/
the activity of selecting the scenes to be shown and putting them together to create a film
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading HELD UP It was very dark.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
fissurenounUS /ˈfɪʃər/
a long narrow depression in a surface
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
freezingnounUS /ˈfriːzɪŋ/
the withdrawal of heat to change something from a liquid to a solid
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading HELD UP It was very dark.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
instinctiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪv/
unthinking; prompted by (or as if by) instinct
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading HELD UP It was very dark.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
likingnounUS /ˈlaɪkɪŋ/
a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
LoneadjectiveUS /loʊn/
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
ManornounUS /ˈmænər/
the mansion of a lord or wealthy person
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
the force of workers available
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
mittened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
obscuritynounUS /əbsˈkjʊrəti/
the quality of being unclear or abstruse and hard to understand
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
onwardadverbUS /ˈɔːnwərd/
forward in time or order or degree
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
railwaynounUS /ˈreɪlweɪ/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
ravinesnounUS /rəˈviːnz/
plural of “ravine” — a deep narrow steep-sided valley (especially one formed by running water)
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
resembleverbUS /rɪˈzembəl/
appear like; be similar or bear a likeness to
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
shortenverbUS /ˈʃɔːrtən/
make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
not in physical motion
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
possessing sweep
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This one was larger than the rest, and Carrington Manor stood near one end of it.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
trustingadjectiveUS /ˈtrʌstɪŋ/
inclined to believe or confide readily; full of trust
From this reading Still, trusting to an instinctive sense of direction men acquire in that land, I pushed on for the big coulee--one of those deep ravines that fissure the prairie and much resemble a railway cutting.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading HELD UP It was very dark.
precisely as stated
From this reading HELD UP It was very dark.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading HELD UP It was very dark.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
at the time that
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wind had the coldness of death in it, and when the lights of Lone Hollow had faded behind the obscurity closed round me like a thick curtain.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The horse evidently had little liking for the journey, and did his best to shorten it, while I had hard work to keep my mittened hands from freezing as we swept onward through the night.
