adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(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 Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
alyssumnoun
any garden plant of the genus Alyssum having clusters of small yellow or white flowers
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
bareadjectiveUS /ber/
completely unclothed
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
beesnounUS /biːz/
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
BennounUS /ben/
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
Ben'snounUS /benz/
possessive form of “ben” — a mountain or tall hill
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
birdsnounUS /bɜːrdz/
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
bloomnounUS /bluːm/
the organic process of bearing flowers
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
blossomsnounUS /ˈblɑːsəmz/
plural of “blossom” — reproductive organ of angiosperm plants especially one having showy or colorful parts
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
blunderingverbUS /ˈblʌndərɪŋ/
-ing form of “blunder” — commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
bordernounUS /ˈbɔːrdər/
a line that indicates a boundary
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
buzzingadjectiveUS /ˈbʌzɪŋ/
noisy like the sound of a bee
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
closeadjectiveUS /kloʊs/
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
cottagenounUS /ˈkɑːtədʒ/
a small house with a single story
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
desertedadjectiveUS /dɪˈzɜːrtɪd/
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
Dr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
enteredverbUS /ˈentərd/
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
fenceverbUS /fens/
enclose with a fence
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
flourishedverbUS /ˈflɜːrɪʃt/
past form of “flourish” — grow vigorously
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
flowersnounUS /ˈflaʊərz/
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
fuchsiasnounUS /ˈfjuːʃəz/
plural of “fuchsia” — any of various tropical shrubs widely cultivated for their showy drooping purplish or reddish or white flowers; Central and South America and New Zealand and Tahiti
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
gatenounUS /ɡeɪt/
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
geraniumsnounUS /dʒərˈeɪniəmz/
plural of “geranium” — any of numerous plants of the family Geraniaceae
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
haphazardadjectiveUS /hæpˈhæzərd/
dependent upon or characterized by chance
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
himselfpronounUS /hɪmˈself/
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
hollyhocksnounUS /ˈhɑːlihɑːks/
plural of “hollyhock” — any of various plants of the genus Althaea; similar to but having smaller flowers than genus Alcea
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
jumblenounUS /ˈdʒʌmbəl/
a confused multitude of things
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
lanenounUS /leɪn/
a narrow way or road
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
lilacnounUS /ˈlaɪlæk/
any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
loitered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
lovedadjectiveUS /lʌvd/
held dear
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
mainadjectiveUS /meɪn/
most important element
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
marguerites
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
MarigoldsnounUS /ˈmerəɡoʊldz/
plural of “marigold” — any of various tropical American plants of the genus Tagetes widely cultivated for their showy yellow or orange flowers
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
Martie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
mignonettenoun
Mediterranean woody annual widely cultivated for its dense terminal spikelike clusters greenish or yellowish white flowers having an intense spicy fragrance
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
nestingverbUS /ˈnestɪŋ/
-ing form of “nest” — inhabit a nest, usually after building
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
networknounUS /ˈnetwɜːrk/
an interconnected system of things or people
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
openedadjectiveUS /ˈoʊpənd/
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
pansiesnounUS /ˈpænziz/
plural of “pansy” — large-flowered garden plant derived chiefly from the wild pansy of Europe and having velvety petals of various colors
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
partnounUS /pɑːrt/
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
pastnounUS /pæst/
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
pepperverbUS /ˈpepər/
add pepper to
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
picketnounUS /ˈpɪkɪt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
pinksnounUS /pɪŋks/
plural of “pink” — a light shade of red
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
plantedadjectiveUS /ˈplæntɪd/
(used especially of ideas or principles) deeply rooted; firmly fixed or held
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
pooreradjectiveUS /ˈpuːrər/
comparative of “poor” — deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
post-office
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
pressedadjectiveUS /prest/
compacted by ironing
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
regionnounUS /ˈriːdʒən/
the extended spatial location of something
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
resultingverbUS /rɪˈzʌltɪŋ/
-ing form of “result” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
rosesnounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/
plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
SallynounUS /ˈsæli/
witty remark
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
shopsnounUS /ʃɑːps/
plural of “shop” — a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
smotheredadjectiveUS /ˈsmʌðərd/
held in check with difficulty
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
stocknounUS /stɑːk/
the capital raised by a corporation through the issue of shares entitling holders to an ownership interest
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
TheypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
townnounUS /taʊn/
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
treesnounUS /triːz/
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
turnedadjectiveUS /tɜːrnd/
moved around an axis or center
From this reading They entered a quiet region of shabby old houses, turned into a deserted lane, and opened the picket gate before Dr. Ben's cottage.
untidyadjectiveUS /ənˈtaɪdi/
not neat and tidy
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
velvet-brown
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Martie and Sally loitered through the village, past the post-office and the main shops and down through the poorer part of the town.
vinesnounUS /vaɪnz/
plural of “vine” — a plant with a weak stem that derives support from climbing, twining, or creeping along a surface
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
wallflowers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
willownounUS /ˈwɪloʊ/
any of numerous deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix
From this reading Dr. Ben had planted all these himself, haphazard, and loved the resulting untidy jumble of bloom, with the lilac blossoms rustling overhead, birds nesting in his willow and pepper trees, and bees buzzing and blundering over his flowers.
winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The little house in winter stood in a network of bare vines; in summer it was smothered in roses, and fuchsias, marguerites, hollyhocks, and geraniums pressed against the fence.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Marigolds, alyssum, pansies, and border pinks flourished close to the ground, with sweet William, stock, mignonette, and velvet-brown wallflowers.
