used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
(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 Nearly all of them came out.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading This was the kind of winter weather the woodsfolk preferred to any other.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Nearly all of them came out.
cloakedadjectiveUS /kloʊkt/
having its true character concealed with the intent of misleading
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
inflected form of “creep” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
drenchedadjectiveUS /drentʃt/
abundantly covered or supplied with; often used in combination
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
divisible by two
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
assemble or get together
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading This was the kind of winter weather the woodsfolk preferred to any other.
lastsnounUS /læsts/
plural of “last” — the temporal end; the concluding time
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
the act of departing
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
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 Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading Nearly all of them came out.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
not any; not one
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading This was the kind of winter weather the woodsfolk preferred to any other.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Nearly all of them came out.
preferredadjectiveUS /prəˈfɜːrd/
more desirable than another
From this reading This was the kind of winter weather the woodsfolk preferred to any other.
raccoonsnounUS /ræˈkuːnz/
plural of “raccoon” — the fur of the North American racoon
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
skunksnounUS /skʌŋks/
plural of “skunk” — a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
orally recite the letters of or give the spelling of
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
swampsnounUS /swɑːmps/
plural of “swamp” — low land that is seasonally flooded; has more woody plants than a marsh and better drainage than a bog
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
thawingnounUS /ˈθɔːɪŋ/
the process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Nearly all of them came out.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was the kind of winter weather the woodsfolk preferred to any other.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
in the direction of
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
vapornounUS /ˈveɪpər/
a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was the kind of winter weather the woodsfolk preferred to any other.
washingnounUS /ˈwɑːʃɪŋ/
the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water)
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
which person or people
From this reading Even the raccoons and the skunks, who sleep in cold weather no matter how long it lasts, crept forth to have a good hunt before the next cold spell began.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading THE ROAD TO THE SEA Towards evening clouds began to gather; then a gentle wind from the South brought the first signs of thawing weather.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading This was the kind of winter weather the woodsfolk preferred to any other.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Later a warm rain drenched the woods, washing away the snow and leaving the swamps cloaked in vapor.
woodsfolk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading This was the kind of winter weather the woodsfolk preferred to any other.
