Chapter XXVI

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

plural of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

a block of solid substance (such as soap or wax)

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

a politically organized body of people under a single government

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

the time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

separated in space or coming from or going to a distance

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

plural of “driver” — the operator of a motor vehicle

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

the act of removing the contents of something

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

(Old Testament) a beautiful Jewess chosen by the king of Persia to be his queen; she stopped a plot to massacre all the Jews in Persia (an event celebrated by Jews as the feast of Purim)

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

plural of “feather” — the light horny waterproof structure forming the external covering of birds

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

made of or resembling flakes

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

completed to perfection

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

a period of time assigned for work

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

on condition that; in the event that

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

immediately past

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

slowness by virtue of being leisurely

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

a characteristic state or mode of living

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

weight to be borne or conveyed

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

the force of workers available

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

plural of “million” — the number that is represented as a one followed by 6 zeros

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

the quality of wearisome constancy, routine, and lack of variety

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

above and across; more than

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

a person who requires medical care

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

participate in games or sport

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

a partly sheltered anchorage

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running into the line

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

a careless leisurely gait

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

woolly usually horned ruminant mammal related to the goat

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

marked by or emitting or filled with smoke

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

past form of “snow” — fall as snow

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

in or at or to some place

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

in a sparse way

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

(Roman Catholic Church) a devotion consisting of fourteen prayers said before a series of fourteen pictures or carvings representing successive incidents during Jesus' passage from Pilate's house to his crucifixion at Calvary

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

plural of “stoker” — Irish writer of the horror novel about Dracula (1847-1912)

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.

sullen or moody

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

used when the people doing the action are also its object

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

plural of “threat” — something that is a source of danger

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

having a top of a specified character

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

plural of “town” — an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

create by training and teaching

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading It is as if a huge white bird had been shaking his pinions somewhere, high up in the air--shaking down millions of little down feathers.

close enough to be walked to

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

edge of a way or road or path

From this reading The rushing train, that bears Esther to her new distant life, is topped like any twelfth-night cake; so are the wayside stations; so are the houses in the smoky towns; so are the men, sparsely walking about on the country roads; so are the engine drivers and stokers; so are the sheep in the fields.

a native or resident of Wales

From this reading The clouds that piled themselves in sulky threatening last night behind the Welsh hills, and many others like them, have to-day fulfilled their threats, and have been, through all the daylight hours, emptying their flaky load on the patient earth.

a Caucasian

From this reading It has snowed all day; an immense white monotony is over all the land.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Rain always seems in earnest, snow in play--with such delicate leisureliness does it saunter down.