used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
acridadjectiveUS /ˈæk.rɪd/
Having an unpleasantly bitter or pungent taste or smell.
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
(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 the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
take a court case to a higher court for review
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
brazenadjectiveUS /ˈbreɪzən/
unrestrained by convention or propriety
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
calculateverbUS /ˈkælkjəleɪt/
make a mathematical calculation or computation
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
demanding attention
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
droughtnounUS /draʊt/
a shortage of rainfall
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
United States comedian and film actor (1880-1946)
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
people in general (often used in the plural)
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
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 Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
herbnounUS /ɜːrb/
a plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
indescribablyadverb
to an inexpressible degree
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
immediately past
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
lilac-toned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
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 When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
magicaladjectiveUS /ˈmædʒɪkəl/
possessing or using or characteristic of or appropriate to supernatural powers
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
menacingadjectiveUS /ˈmenəsɪŋ/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
pungencynoun
wit having a sharp and caustic quality
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
scanverbUS /skæn/
examine minutely or intensely
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
settlementnounUS /ˈsetəlmənt/
a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
shudderverbUS /ˈʃʌdər/
shake, as from cold
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
sinisteradjectiveUS /ˈsɪnɪstər/
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
in or at that place or location
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
thinnestadjectiveUS /ˈθɪnɪst/
superlative of “thin” — of relatively small extent from one surface to the opposite or in cross section
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
transfiguring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
unbearableadjectiveUS /ənˈberəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Sky and trees, hills and fields, they took on a new beauty under this light, transfiguring touch.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
vapournoun
a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
a garment that covers the head and face
From this reading Close on the heels of this fierce, menacing smell came a veil of thinnest vapour, lilac-toned, delicate, magical, and indescribably sinister.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
at the time that
From this reading When the drought had grown almost unbearable, and man and beast, herb and tree, all seemed to hold up hands of appeal together to the brazen sky, crying out, “How long?
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading But the touch was one that made all the forest folk, and the settlement folk as well, scan the horizon anxiously and calculate the direction of the wind.
in the company of; together with
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading How long?” there came at last a faint, acrid pungency on the air which made the dry woods shudder with fear.
