used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
afternoonsnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːnz/
plural of “afternoon” — the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
in the past
From this reading Fifteen years ago one might have gone west for months without hearing a human voice.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
any thing at all
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
a very young child (birth to 1 year) who has not yet begun to walk or talk
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
bendingnounUS /ˈbendɪŋ/
movement that causes the formation of a curve
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
breezesnounUS /ˈbriːzɪz/
plural of “breeze” — a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
buffalonounUS /ˈbʌfəloʊ/
large shaggy-haired brown bison of North American plains
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
castingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
centuriesnounUS /ˈsentʃəriz/
plural of “century” — a period of 100 years
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
chickensnounUS /ˈtʃɪkənz/
plural of “chicken” — the flesh of a chicken used for food
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
coaxedverbUS /koʊkst/
past form of “coax” — influence or urge by gentle urging, caressing, or flattering
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
distancesnounUS /ˈdɪstənsəz/
plural of “distance” — the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
elementnounUS /ˈeləmənt/
an abstract part of something
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
divisible by two
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading Fifteen years ago one might have gone west for months without hearing a human voice.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
goldfinchesnounUS /ˈɡoʊldfɪntʃɪz/
plural of “goldfinch” — American finch whose male has yellow body plumage in summer
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
destroyed or killed
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
grapesnounUS /ɡreɪps/
plural of “grape” — any of various juicy fruit of the genus Vitis with green or purple skins; grow in clusters
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
grassesnounUS /ˈɡræsəz/
plural of “grass” — narrow-leaved green herbage: grown as lawns; used as pasture for grazing animals; cut and dried as hay
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading Fifteen years ago one might have gone west for months without hearing a human voice.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
lainverbUS /leɪn/
inflected form of “lie” — be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
languidadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋɡwəd/
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
lazilyadverbUS /ˈlæzəli/
in a slow and lazy manner
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
louderadjectiveUS /ˈlaʊdər/
comparative of “loud” — characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
plural of “month” — one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading Fifteen years ago one might have gone west for months without hearing a human voice.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
not in physical motion
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
a large body of water constituting a principal part of the hydrosphere
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
and nothing more
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
ripeningnounUS /ˈraɪpənɪŋ/
coming to full development; becoming mature
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
ripplesnounUS /ˈrɪpəlz/
plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
scratchingnounUS /ˈskrætʃɪŋ/
a harsh noise made by scraping
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
seedsnounUS /siːdz/
plural of “seed” — a small hard fruit
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
shorteradjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtər/
comparative of “short” — primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
move stealthily
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
sloughnounUS /slʌf/
necrotic tissue; a mortified or gangrenous part or mass
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
squawnoun
derogatory terms for an American Indian woman
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
stretchesnounUS /ˈstretʃəz/
plural of “stretch” — a large and unbroken expanse or distance
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
swamp-lily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
thicketnounUS /ˈθɪkɪt/
a dense growth of bushes
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
precisely as stated
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Fifteen years ago one might have gone west for months without hearing a human voice.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Fifteen years ago one might have gone west for months without hearing a human voice.
in or at the place that
From this reading The prairie lay that afternoon as it had lain for centuries of September afternoons, vast as an ocean; motionless as an ocean coaxed into very little ripples by languid breezes; silent as an ocean where only very little waves slip back into their element.
a Caucasian
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading One might have walked for hours without hearing anything louder than high white clouds casting shadows over the distances, or the tall slough grass bending lazily into waves.
a late time of life
From this reading For years now not even a baby buffalo had called to its mother in those stretches, or an old squaw broken ripening wild grapes from the creek thicket.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading One might have gone on startled only by the falling of scarlet swamp-lily seeds, by sudden goldfinches, or the scratching of young prairie chickens in the shorter grasses.
