used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
ambledverbUS /ˈæmbəld/
past form of “amble” — walk leisurely
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
appetitenounUS /ˈæpətaɪt/
a feeling of craving something
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
barknounUS /bɑːrk/
tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
have
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
bluntadjectiveUS /blʌnt/
having a broad or rounded end
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
cause to be bored
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
clawsnounUS /klɔːz/
plural of “claw” — sharp curved horny process on the toe of a bird or some mammals or reptiles
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
comfortablyadverbUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbli/
in mental comfort; without stress
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
conspicuousadjectiveUS /kənˈspɪkjuːəs/
obvious to the eye or mind
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
crotchnounUS /krɑːtʃ/
the region of the angle formed by the junction of two branches
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
dark-greenadjective
of the color between blue and yellow in the color spectrum; similar to the color of fresh grass
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
deliberationnounUS /dɪˌlɪbərˈeɪʃən/
(usually plural) discussion of all sides of a question
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
dessertnounUS /dɪˈzɜːrt/
a dish served as the last course of a meal
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
digestverbUS /daɪˈdʒest/
convert food into absorbable substances
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
at any time
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
farenounUS /fer/
an agenda of things to do
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
foragingnounUS /ˈfɔːrɪdʒɪŋ/
the act of searching for food and provisions
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
fore-paws
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
frondage
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
a group of persons together in one place
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
glossyadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːsi/
based on pretense; deceptively pleasing
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
gnawingverbUS /ˈnɔːɪŋ/
-ing form of “gnaw” — bite or chew on with the teeth
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
heartyadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrti/
showing warm and heartfelt friendliness
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
hemlocknounUS /ˈhemlɑːk/
poisonous drug derived from an Eurasian plant of the genus Conium
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
hemlocks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
lazyadjectiveUS /ˈleɪzi/
moving slowly and gently
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
loiteringverbUS /ˈlɔɪtərɪŋ/
-ing form of “loiter” — be about
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
(often followed by “of”) a large number or amount or extent
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
loudlyadverbUS /ˈlaʊdli/
with relatively high volume
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
maplenounUS /ˈmeɪpəl/
wood of any of various maple trees; especially the hard close-grained wood of the sugar maple; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
English businessman who created a retail chain (1888-1964)
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
mealsnounUS /miːlz/
plural of “meal” — the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
a structure in which animals lay eggs or give birth to their young
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
not any; not one
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
noisyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔɪzi/
full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
nostrilsnounUS /ˈnɑːstrəlz/
plural of “nostril” — either one of the two external openings to the nasal cavity in the nose
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
porcupinenounUS /ˈpɔːrkjəpaɪn/
relatively large rodents with sharp erectile bristles mingled with the fur
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
porcupine's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
rattlingnounUS /ˈrætlɪŋ/
a rapid series of short loud sounds (as might be heard with a stethoscope in some types of respiratory disorders)
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
sniffingverbUS /ˈsnɪfɪŋ/
-ing form of “sniff” — perceive by inhaling through the nose
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
having a supporting base
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
stomachnounUS /ˈstʌmək/
an enlarged and muscular saclike organ of the alimentary canal; the principal organ of digestion
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
carry out
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
twigsnounUS /twɪɡz/
plural of “twig” — a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
untouchedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʌtʃt/
still full
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading Then, as if making up her mind that it was hemlock she wanted, she ambled off with heavy deliberation to the nearest hemlock tree, climbed it with a noisy rattling of claws, settled herself comfortably in the first crotch, and fell to gnawing the rough bark.
nonexistent
From this reading Other hemlocks, standing at a greater distance from her nest, already bore the conspicuous marks of her foraging; but this one she had hitherto left untouched against the day when she would be wanting to take her meals near home.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
at the time that
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When she had taken the edge off her appetite with this fare—which no stomach but a porcupine’s could ever digest—she crawled out along a branch, as far as it would bear her weight, and, gathering a lot of the slender twigs between her fore-paws, made a hearty dessert of the dark-green, glossy frondage.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At the foot of the old maple she stood for some moments loudly sniffing the air with her blunt nostrils.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But what was haste for a porcupine would have been regarded at the extreme of lazy loitering in any other creature of the wild.
