used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
anew
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
catchesnounUS /ˈkætʃəz/
plural of “catch” — a drawback or difficulty that is not readily evident
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
changesnounUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒəz/
plural of “change” — an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
without doubt or question
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
creepsnounUS /kriːps/
a disease of cattle and sheep attributed to a dietary deficiency; characterized by anemia and softening of the bones and a slow stiff gait
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
curvesnounUS /kɜːrvz/
plural of “curve” — the trace of a point whose direction of motion changes
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
defeatedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfiːtəd/
beaten or overcome; not victorious
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
definiteadjectiveUS /ˈdefənət/
precise; explicit and clearly defined
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
dragsnounUS /dræɡz/
plural of “drag” — the phenomenon of resistance to motion through a fluid
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
edgesnounUS /ˈedʒəz/
plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
the organ of sight
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
fleeingverbUS /ˈfliːɪŋ/
-ing form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
garmentsnounUS /ˈɡɑːrmənts/
plural of “garment” — an article of clothing
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
ghostlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊstli/
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
plural of “give” — the elasticity of something that can be stretched and returns to its original length
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
in a gradual manner
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
superlative of “high” — greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
hoveringverbUS /ˈhʌvərɪŋ/
-ing form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
immediately past
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
a person who loves someone or is loved by someone
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
become covered with mist
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
a particular point in time
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
obscuritynounUS /əbsˈkjʊrəti/
the quality of being unclear or abstruse and hard to understand
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
orangenounUS /ˈɔːrəndʒ/
round yellow to orange fruit of any of several citrus trees
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
seemingadjectiveUS /ˈsiːmɪŋ/
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
shinesnounUS /ʃaɪnz/
plural of “shine” — the quality of being bright and sending out rays of light
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
without speaking
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
smoothlyadverbUS /ˈsmuːðli/
with no problems or difficulties
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
in a strange manner
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
stretchesnounUS /ˈstretʃəz/
plural of “stretch” — a large and unbroken expanse or distance
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
substancenounUS /ˈsʌbstəns/
the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sky is grey, with an orange light hovering on its outer edges, the last signal of the setting sun.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
a shaky motion
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
unrealadjectiveUS /ənˈriːl/
lacking in reality or substance or genuineness; not corresponding to acknowledged facts or criteria
From this reading THE PLACE The grey twilight gives to the long, pale stretches of sand the sense of something strangely unreal.
vanishingnounUS /ˈvænɪʃɪŋ/
a sudden or mysterious disappearance
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
precisely as stated
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
voidadjectiveUS /vɔɪd/
lacking any legal or binding force
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As far as the eye can reach, it curves out into the mist, the last vanishing garments, as it were, of some fleeing ghost.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The sea comes, smoothly, quite silently, over the breast of it; there is a trembling whisper as it catches the highest stretch of sand and drags it for a moment down the slope, then, with a little sigh, creeps back again a defeated lover.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading A very faint mist is creeping gradually over the sea, so faint that the silver circle of the rising moon shines quite clearly through the shadows; but it changes the pale yellow of the ghostly sand into a dark grey land without form and void, seeming for a moment to be one with sea and sky, and then rising again, out of obscurity, into definite substance.
