used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
Alec
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
Bell-birds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
chatterverbUS /ˈtʃætər/
click repeatedly or uncontrollably
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
chimesnounUS /tʃaɪmz/
plural of “chime” — a percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned bells that are struck with a hammer; used as an orchestral instrument
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
cockatoosnounUS /ˈkɑːkətuːz/
plural of “cockatoo” — white or light-colored crested parrot of the Australian region; often kept as cage birds
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
conquerornounUS /ˈkɑːŋkərər/
someone who is victorious by force of arms
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
crackedadjectiveUS /krækt/
used of skin roughened as a result of cold or exposure
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
dewdrops
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
echoesnounUS /ˈekoʊz/
plural of “echo” — the repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound waves
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
flocknounUS /flɑːk/
a church congregation guided by a pastor
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
glintingadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪntɪŋ/
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
From this reading The sun was glinting in the tree-tops.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The sun was glinting in the tree-tops.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
lashverbUS /læʃ/
beat severely with a whip or rod
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
MagpiesnounUS /ˈmæɡpaɪz/
plural of “magpie” — long-tailed black-and-white crow that utters a raucous chattering call
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
matesnounUS /meɪts/
a pair of people who live together
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
riddenverbUS /ˈrɪdən/
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun was glinting in the tree-tops.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sun was glinting in the tree-tops.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Magpies scattered the dewdrops in the grass, and sang love songs to their mates.
tree-tops
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun was glinting in the tree-tops.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sun was glinting in the tree-tops.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
at the time that
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
whip-bird
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bell-birds rang their morning chimes, and the whip-bird cracked its lash, as Alec rode up the hill with bent head and heavy heart.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
yellow-crested
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A flock of yellow-crested cockatoos awoke the echoes with their chatter.
the day immediately before today
From this reading What a contrast to yesterday evening, when he had ridden down with the air of a conqueror!
