used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE WOLF AT THE DOOR.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
biggeradjectiveUS /ˈbɪɡər/
large or big relative to something else
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
blanklyadverbUS /ˈblæŋkli/
in a blank and uncomprehending manner
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
of short duration or distance
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
tall annual cereal grass bearing kernels on large ears: widely cultivated in America in many varieties; the principal cereal in Mexico and Central and South America since pre-Columbian times
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
cropsnounUS /krɑːps/
plural of “crop” — the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
dewsnounUS /duːz/
plural of “dew” — water that has condensed on a cool surface overnight from water vapor in the air
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
distilledverbUS /dɪˈstɪld/
inflected form of “distil” — undergo condensation; change from a gaseous to a liquid state and fall in drops
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading THE WOLF AT THE DOOR.
draughtnounUS /dræft/
a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
the act of consuming liquids
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
droughtnounUS /draʊt/
a shortage of rainfall
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
marked by extreme and violent energy
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
heatedadjectiveUS /ˈhiːtəd/
made warm or hot (“het” is a dialectal variant of “heated”)
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
herbagenoun
succulent herbaceous vegetation of pasture land
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
possessing or displaying a distinctive feature to a heightened degree
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
languishedverbUS /ˈlæŋɡwɪʃt/
past form of “languish” — lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
MidsummernounUS /ˈmɪdˈsʌmər/
June 21, when the sun is at its northernmost point
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
not any; not one
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
and nothing more
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
palpitatingadjectiveUS /ˈpælpəteɪtɪŋ/
having a slight and rapid trembling motion
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
pitilessadjectiveUS /ˈpɪtiləs/
without mercy or pity
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
refreshmentnounUS /rəˈfreʃmənt/
snacks and drinks served as a light meal
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
rescued; especially from the power and consequences of sin
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/
lacking in magnitude or quantity
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
searchedverbUS /sɜːrtʃt/
past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
seednounUS /siːd/
a small hard fruit
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
not in physical motion
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading The crops languished in the field, some already dead, and the scanty store saved from the seed corn quite gone.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WOLF AT THE DOOR.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Midsummer was upon the land, and the heat and drought were intense.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Day after day the sun rose fierce and pitiless, drinking up at a draught what scanty dews had distilled in a night so brief and heated that it brought no refreshment to herbage or to man.
wistfuladjectiveUS /ˈwɪstfəl/
showing pensive sadness
From this reading Day after day wistful eyes searched the horizon for a cloud if no bigger than a man's hand, and still only the hard blue above and the palpitating horizon line stared blankly back.
any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs
From this reading THE WOLF AT THE DOOR.
