used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
(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 the shady benches were full of people.
anklesnounUS /ˈæŋkəlz/
plural of “ankle” — a gliding joint between the distal ends of the tibia and fibula and the proximal end of the talus
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
asphaltnounUS /ˈæsfɔːlt/
mixed asphalt and crushed gravel or sand; used especially for paving but also for roofing
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
automobilenounUS /ˈɔːtəmoʊbiːl/
a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
baseballnounUS /ˈbeɪsˈbɔːl/
a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
a long seat for more than one person
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
benchesnounUS /ˈbentʃɪz/
plural of “bench” — a long seat for more than one person
From this reading All the shady benches were full of people.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
clingverbUS /klɪŋ/
come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
cross-street
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
placed crosswise
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
curvingadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrvɪŋ/
having or marked by a curve or smoothly rounded bend
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
Ellen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading All the shady benches were full of people.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
a large area of land preserved in its natural state as public property
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
go across or through
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading All the shady benches were full of people.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
poppedverbUS /pɑːpt/
inflected form of “pop” — bulge outward
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
plural of “sailor” — any member of a ship's crew
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
seagreedy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
shadyadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪdi/
quiet, dark, or concealed
From this reading All the shady benches were full of people.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
smudgenounUS /smʌdʒ/
a smoky fire to drive away insects
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
sprawlingnounUS /ˈsprɔːlɪŋ/
an ungainly posture with arms and legs spread about
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
stickilyadverb
in a sticky viscid manner
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
sunsinged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
thighsnounUS /θaɪz/
plural of “thigh” — the part of the leg between the hip and the knee
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
trampledverbUS /ˈtræmpəld/
past form of “trample” — tread or stomp heavily or roughly
From this reading A smell of trampled sunsinged grass came from boys playing baseball.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two sailors were sprawling on a bench in the sun; one of them popped his lips as she passed, she could feel their seagreedy eyes cling stickily to her neck, her thighs, her ankles.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Ellen watched her pass; then she followed a smudge of green through a cross-street to the Park.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading All the shady benches were full of people.
at the time that
From this reading When she crossed the curving automobile road her sharp French heels sank into the asphalt.
