used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
in addition
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
broodedverbUS /ˈbruːdɪd/
past form of “brood” — think moodily or anxiously about something
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
an occurrence of something
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
dingyadjectiveUS /ˈdɪndʒi/
thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
downcastadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊnkæst/
directed downward
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
EdgarnounUS /ˈedɡər/
the younger brother of Edwy who became king of Northumbria when it renounced Edwy; on Edwy's death he succeeded to the throne of England (944-975)
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
Christian martyr; patron saint of England; hero of the legend of Saint George and the Dragon in which he slew a dragon and saved a princess (?-303)
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
homesicknessnounUS /ˈhoʊmsɪknəs/
a longing to return home
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
homesteadnounUS /ˈhoʊmsted/
the home and adjacent grounds occupied by a family
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
lifelessadjectiveUS /ˈlaɪfləs/
deprived of life; no longer living
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
MassedverbUS /mæst/
past form of “mass” — join together into a mass or collect or form a mass
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
moodinessnoun
a sullen gloomy feeling
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
oppressiveadjectiveUS /əˈpresɪv/
weighing heavily on the senses or spirit
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
persuadeverbUS /pərˈsweɪd/
win approval or support for
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
shrinkingnounUS /ˈʃrɪŋkɪŋ/
process or result of becoming less or smaller
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
a state of acute pain
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Edgar sat smoking outside the homestead.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
thunder-clouds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading He had been busy since six o'clock that morning, and he felt tired and downcast.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading This was partly the case, but he was also suffering from homesickness and a shrinking from what was new and strange.
wheatnounUS /wiːt/
annual or biennial grass having erect flower spikes and light brown grains
From this reading Massed thunder-clouds brooded over the silent prairie, wheat and grass had faded to dingy green and lifeless gray, and Edgar tried to persuade himself that his moodiness was the effect of the weather.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading GEORGE GETS TO WORK It was an oppressive evening, after a day of unusual heat.
