used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading She arose, cramped and unrefreshed, and hastened toward the welcome blaze.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
attendingnounUS /əˈtendɪŋ/
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
awakenedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪkənd/
aroused or activated
From this reading The wonder-stare in her eyes gradually disappeared as memory awakened.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
blazenounUS /bleɪz/
a strong flame that burns brightly
From this reading She arose, cramped and unrefreshed, and hastened toward the welcome blaze.
boltnounUS /boʊlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
crampedadjectiveUS /kræmpt/
constricted in size
From this reading She arose, cramped and unrefreshed, and hastened toward the welcome blaze.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading The wonder-stare in her eyes gradually disappeared as memory awakened.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
edgesnounUS /ˈedʒəz/
plural of “edge” — the boundary of a surface
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
the organ of sight
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The wonder-stare in her eyes gradually disappeared as memory awakened.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
in a gradual manner
From this reading The wonder-stare in her eyes gradually disappeared as memory awakened.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
past form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed
From this reading She arose, cramped and unrefreshed, and hastened toward the welcome blaze.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The wonder-stare in her eyes gradually disappeared as memory awakened.
indicating the most important performer or role
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading The wonder-stare in her eyes gradually disappeared as memory awakened.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
outlinedadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/
showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
prefacenounUS /ˈprefəs/
a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
sculpturedadjectiveUS /ˈskʌlptʃərd/
cut into a desired shape
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
sheriffnounUS /ˈʃerəf/
the principal law-enforcement officer in a county
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
tortuousadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːrtʃəwəs/
highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading She arose, cramped and unrefreshed, and hastened toward the welcome blaze.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
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 Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
unrefreshedadjective
not rested or refreshed
From this reading She arose, cramped and unrefreshed, and hastened toward the welcome blaze.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Down beyond the trees in a little valley the sheriff was attending to a fire he had built.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
accept gladly
From this reading She arose, cramped and unrefreshed, and hastened toward the welcome blaze.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading As far as eye could see was the tortuous trail leading up sculptured hills that were the preface to the mother mountains of the West.
at the time that
From this reading When the first faint edges of light outlined the coming day, she sat bolt upright and stared about her.
wonder-stare
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wonder-stare in her eyes gradually disappeared as memory awakened.
