used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
anticipationnounUS /ænˌtɪsəˈpeɪʃən/
an expectation
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
backwardadverbUS /ˈbækwərd/
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
barrelsnounUS /ˈbærəlz/
the amount that many barrels might hold
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
blanketnounUS /ˈblæŋkət/
bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
cautionnounUS /ˈkɑːʃən/
the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
firelightnoun
the light of a fire (especially in a fireplace)
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
inflected form of “flee” — run away quickly
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
destroyed or killed
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
joyfuladjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪfəl/
full of or producing joy
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
held up in the air
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
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 A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
the force of workers available
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
a particular point in time
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
causing physical or psychological pain
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
with speed
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
the contentment one feels when one has fulfilled a desire, need, or expectation
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
the act of causing something to go (especially messages)
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
shot-guns
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
sightingnounUS /ˈsaɪtɪŋ/
the act of observing
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
surveyedverbUS /sərˈveɪd/
past form of “survey” — consider in a comprehensive way
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A bush stood like a rock in the stream of firelight, sending its long shadow backward.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through its branches they surveyed for a moment of comfortable satisfaction a form in a gray blanket extended on the ground near the fire.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The smile of joyful anticipation fled quickly, to give place to a quiet air of business.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
travelledadjectiveUS /ˈtrævəld/
familiar with many parts of the world
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
triggerverbUS /ˈtrɪɡər/
put in motion or move to act
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
weaponsnounUS /ˈwepənz/
plural of “weapon” — any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading Two men lifted shot-guns with much of the barrels gone, and sighting these weapons through the branches, pulled trigger together.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With painful caution the little company travelled along this shadow, and finally arrived at the rear of the bush.
