used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
quickly and without warning
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
absentlyadverb
in an absentminded or preoccupied manner
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
separated or at a distance in place or position or time
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
of short duration or distance
From this reading For a brief space he did not stir.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
browsnounUS /braʊz/
plural of “brow” — the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
child'snounUS /tʃaɪldz/
possessive form of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
chuggedverbUS /tʃʌɡd/
inflected form of “chug” — make a dull, explosive sound
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
rid of obstructions
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
deceptivelyadverbUS /dɪˈseptɪvli/
in a misleading way
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading For a brief space he did not stir.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
showing the wearing effects of overwork or care or suffering
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
drenchingnounUS /ˈdrentʃɪŋ/
the act of making something completely wet
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
dwindledverbUS /ˈdwɪndəld/
past form of “dwindle” — become smaller or lose substance
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a brief space he did not stir.
fussilyadverb
in a fussy manner
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
leanverbUS /liːn/
to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
staying power
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
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 Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
loomedverbUS /luːmd/
past form of “loom” — come into view indistinctly, often threateningly
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
not in physical motion
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For a brief space he did not stir.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
passengernounUS /ˈpæsəndʒər/
a traveler riding in a vehicle (a boat or bus or car or plane or train etc) who is not operating it
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
get rid of
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
the physical magnitude of something (how big it is)
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
characterized by or preferring solitude
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading For a brief space he did not stir.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
having a supporting base
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
move an implement through
From this reading For a brief space he did not stir.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
sensational in appearance or thrilling in effect
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
three-car
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
toynounUS /tɔɪ/
an artifact designed to be played with
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
create by training and teaching
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
weather-beatenadjective
tanned and coarsened from being outdoors
From this reading Standing motionless beside the weather-beaten station shed, the solitary passenger watched it absently, brows drawn into a single dark line above the bridge of his straight nose.
WestwardadverbUS /ˈwestwərd/
toward the west
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
at the time that
From this reading Then of a sudden, when the train had dwindled to the size of a child's toy, he turned abruptly and drew a long, deep breath.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Westward the little three-car train chugged its way fussily across the brown prairie toward distant mountains which, in that clear atmosphere, loomed so deceptively near.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Tall, lean, with legs spread apart a bit and shoulders slightly bent, he made a striking figure against that background of brilliant sky and drenching, golden sunlight.
