used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
(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 When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
barkingverbUS /ˈbɑːrkɪŋ/
-ing form of “bark” — speak in an unfriendly tone
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
burrownounUS /ˈbɜːroʊ/
a hole made by an animal, usually for shelter
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
go after with the intent to catch
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
dennounUS /den/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
(plural) the deepest and most remote part
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
set up or found
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The mother fox was sorrowing for her mate.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
the officer below the master on a commercial ship
From this reading The mother fox was sorrowing for her mate.
past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The mother fox was sorrowing for her mate.
mourningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
state of sorrow over the death or departure of a loved one
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
muskyadjectiveUS /ˈmʌski/
resembling the smell of musk
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
necessitiesnounUS /nəˈsesɪtiz/
plural of “necessity” — the condition of being essential or indispensable
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
not any; not one
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
persistentlyadverbUS /pərˈsɪstəntli/
in a persistent manner
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
ridgesnounUS /ˈrɪdʒəz/
plural of “ridge” — a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
shrilladjectiveUS /ʃrɪl/
having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
with low volume
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
sorrowingadjective
sorrowful through loss or deprivation
From this reading The mother fox was sorrowing for her mate.
sprawlers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
the season of growth
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
up to a particular time
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She was too busy, however—too much driven by the necessities of those five blind sprawlers in the musky depths of the burrow—to have much time for mourning.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading Night after night, for several weeks, the high, shrill barking of a she fox was heard persistently along the lonely ridges of the hills.
at the time that
From this reading When he came no more to the den, she waited till night, then followed the broad, mingled trail of the chase till she found out all that had happened.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But when the softly chill spring night lay quiet about her hunting, her loneliness would now and then find voice.
