used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He stretched himself and looked about him.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He stretched himself and looked about him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
bunchesnounUS /ˈbʌntʃəz/
plural of “bunch” — a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
cacklingverbUS /ˈkækəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “cackle” — talk or utter in a cackling manner
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
dryingverbUS /ˈdraɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “dry” — remove the moisture from and make dry
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
DucksnounUS /dʌks/
plural of “duck” — small wild or domesticated web-footed broad-billed swimming bird usually having a depressed body and short legs
From this reading Ducks quacking woke Martin.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
eavesnounUS /iːvz/
the overhang at the lower edge of a roof
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
farmhousenounUS /ˈfɑːrmhaʊs/
house for a farmer and family
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
farmyardnounUS /ˈfɑːrmjɑːrd/
an area adjacent to farm buildings
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
gruntingverbUS /ˈɡrʌntɪŋ/
-ing form of “grunt” — issue a grunting, low, animal-like noise
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
hensnounUS /henz/
plural of “hen” — adult female chicken
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
herbsnounUS /ɜːrbz/
plural of “herb” — a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He stretched himself and looked about him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He stretched himself and looked about him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
loftnounUS /lɔːft/
floor consisting of a large unpartitioned space over a factory or warehouse or other commercial space
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
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 He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He stretched himself and looked about him.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
French bishop who is a patron saint of France (died in 397)
From this reading Ducks quacking woke Martin.
a particular point in time
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
held or filled or in use
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
pigeonsnounUS /ˈpɪdʒənz/
plural of “pigeon” — wild and domesticated birds having a heavy body and short legs
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
pigsnounUS /pɪɡz/
plural of “pig” — domestic swine
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
quacking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Ducks quacking woke Martin.
raftersnounUS /ˈræftərz/
plural of “rafter” — one of several parallel sloping beams that support a roof
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
rou-cou-cou-cou
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
sniffingverbUS /ˈsnɪfɪŋ/
-ing form of “sniff” — perceive by inhaling through the nose
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
plural of “sound” — the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching
From this reading He stretched himself and looked about him.
sweetenedadjectiveUS /ˈswiːtənd/
with sweetening added
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
in or at the place that
From this reading For a moment he could not think where he was; then he remembered.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He lay a long while on his back looking at them, sniffing the sweetened air, while farmyard sounds occupied his ears, hens cackling, the grunting of pigs, the rou-cou-cou-cou, rou-cou-cou-cou of pigeons under the eaves.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The rafters of the loft of the farmhouse over his head were hung with bunches of herbs drying.
wokeverbUS /woʊk/
inflected form of “wake” — be awake, be alert, be there
From this reading Ducks quacking woke Martin.
