used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
bladenounUS /bleɪd/
especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
brewverbUS /bruː/
prepare by brewing
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
changelingnoun
a person of subnormal intelligence
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
go after with the intent to catch
From this reading And his expectancy vibrated too, reaching for the end of a long chase.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading And his expectancy vibrated too, reaching for the end of a long chase.
expectancynounUS /ɪkˈspektənsi/
an expectation
From this reading And his expectancy vibrated too, reaching for the end of a long chase.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And his expectancy vibrated too, reaching for the end of a long chase.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
plural of “heel” — the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
HerricknounUS /ˈherɪk/
English lyric poet (1591-1674)
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading And his expectancy vibrated too, reaching for the end of a long chase.
HoovernounUS /ˈhuːvər/
United States industrialist who manufactured vacuum cleaners (1849-1932)
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
HOSTESSnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/
a woman host
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
immediately past
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
leafnounUS /liːf/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
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 THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
malignadjectiveUS /məˈlaɪn/
evil or harmful in nature or influence
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
millionnounUS /ˈmɪljən/
the number that is represented as a one followed by 6 zeros
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
myriadnounUS /ˈmɪriəd/
a large indefinite number
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
of an obscure nature
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
PREPARINGverbUS /priˈperɪŋ/
-ing form of “prepare” — make ready or suitable or equip in advance for a particular purpose or for some use, event, etc
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
radiantadjectiveUS /ˈreɪdiːənt/
radiating or as if radiating light
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
the act of physically reaching or thrusting out
From this reading And his expectancy vibrated too, reaching for the end of a long chase.
red-haired
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
only a very short time before
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
sloweradverbUS /ˈsloʊər/
more slowly
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
thunder-scented
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading And his expectancy vibrated too, reaching for the end of a long chase.
create by training and teaching
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
velvet-black
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
precisely as stated
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
vibrated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And his expectancy vibrated too, reaching for the end of a long chase.
vibrationsnounUS /vaɪˈbreɪʃənz/
plural of “vibration” — the act of vibrating
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Already the night was velvet-black, and hot and thunder-scented as in summer.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
belonging to which person
From this reading His slower train had followed on the very heels of that malign and radiant red-haired changeling, whose mysterious brew he was at last to taste for himself.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A million vibrations that were scarcely sound stirred with the myriad lives of leaf and blade in the dense silence.
woodedadjectiveUS /ˈwʊdɪd/
covered with growing trees and bushes etc
From this reading THE HOSTESS PREPARING Herrick lay in the long grass of the wooded lot, against the wall of the Hoover place.
