used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
aislesnounUS /aɪlz/
plural of “aisle” — a long narrow passage (as in a cave or woods)
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
cactinounUS /ˈkæktaɪ/
plural of “cactus” — any succulent plant of the family Cactaceae native chiefly to arid regions of the New World and usually having spines
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
clumpnounUS /klʌmp/
a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
dunesnounUS /duːnz/
plural of “dune” — a ridge of sand created by the wind; found in deserts or near lakes and oceans
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
move gently or carefully
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
exposedadjectiveUS /ɪkˈspoʊzd/
with no protection or shield
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
flatsnounUS /flæts/
footwear (shoes or slippers) with no heel (or a very low heel)
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
flownounUS /floʊ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
goldenrodnounUS /ˈɡoʊldənrɑːd/
any of numerous chiefly summer-blooming and fall-blooming North American plants especially of the genus Solidago
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
grassesnounUS /ˈɡræsəz/
plural of “grass” — narrow-leaved green herbage: grown as lawns; used as pasture for grazing animals; cut and dried as hay
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
gullverbUS /ɡʌl/
make a fool or dupe of
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
gullsnounUS /ɡʌlz/
plural of “gull” — a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
herringnounUS /ˈherɪŋ/
valuable flesh of fatty fish from shallow waters of northern Atlantic or Pacific; usually salted or pickled
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
HidingnounUS /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/
the activity of keeping something secret
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
ten 10s
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
ledgesnounUS /ˈledʒɪz/
plural of “ledge” — a projecting ridge on a mountain or submerged under water
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
marshnounUS /mɑːrʃ/
low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
meetsnounUS /miːts/
plural of “meet” — a meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
mergesverbUS /ˈmɜːrdʒɪz/
third-person singular of “merge” — become one
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
peatnounUS /piːt/
partially carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water; can be used as a fuel when dried
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
peat-rooted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
pittedadjectiveUS /ˈpɪtɪd/
pitted with cell-like cavities (as a honeycomb)
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
probingadjectiveUS /ˈproʊbɪŋ/
diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
being connected either logically or causally or by shared characteristics
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
retainverbUS /rɪˈteɪn/
hold back within
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
ripplingnounUS /ˈrɪpəlɪŋ/
a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
seasidenounUS /ˈsiːsaɪd/
the shore of a sea or ocean regarded as a resort
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
sharp-tipped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
shelvesnounUS /ʃelvz/
Plural of shelf; the vast wooden or stone structures holding archives.
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
slipperyadjectiveUS /ˈslɪpəri/
causing or tending to cause things to slip or slide
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
stalkedadjectiveUS /stɔːkt/
having or growing on or from a peduncle or stalk
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
be standing; be upright
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
succulentnounUS /ˈsʌkjəlɪnt/
a plant adapted to arid conditions and characterized by fleshy water-storing tissues that act as water reservoirs
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
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 marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
tidaladjectiveUS /ˈtaɪdəl/
of or relating to or caused by tides
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
precisely as stated
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
volcanicadjectiveUS /vɑːlˈkænɪk/
relating to or produced by or consisting of volcanoes
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The beach shelves down from the dunes and meets the exposed tidal ground, ledges of dark peat which is pitted like volcanic rock, and very slippery to walk on.
a Caucasian
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Further along the shore a group of gray and white herring gulls stand into the wind.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The marsh merges with the sand, back of low dunes covered with stiff, sharp-tipped beach grass and seaside goldenrod, thick stalked, with broad soft leaves, a succulent, related to cacti, made to hold and retain moisture.
writhingadjectiveUS /ˈraɪðɪŋ/
moving in a twisting or snake-like or wormlike fashion
From this reading Beyond it at low tide the sand flats ease out, stretch and flow, with aisles and purple fingers of water rippling, writhing, and probing across them.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Hiding in a clump of peat-rooted grasses a few hundred feet from them is a gull in its first year.
