Chapter IV · A Cry for Help

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

processing that involves blowing a gas

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

lacking funds

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

in a busy manner

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

without care or concern

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

the yard associated with a church

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

utter a sudden loud cry

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

a person who rides a bicycle

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

half asleep

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

having ones attention or mind or energy engaged

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

comparative of “faint” — deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

containing as much or as many as is possible or normal

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

plural of “girl” — a young female

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

shoot down, of birds

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

abounding in grass

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

give help or assistance; be of service

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

sing with closed lips

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

plural of “insect” — small air-breathing arthropod

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

in a slow and lazy manner

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

produced by a manufacturing process

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

the middle of the day

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

and nothing more

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

above and across; more than

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

in the near future

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

gymnastic apparatus consisting of a pair of heavy metal circles (usually covered with leather) suspended by ropes; used for gymnastic exercises

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

toward the sky

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

plural of “song” — a short musical composition with words

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

not in physical motion

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

(poetic) tranquil silence

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

(of muscles) relieved of stiffness by stretching

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

surface layer of ground containing a mat of grass and grass roots

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

past form of “talk” — exchange thoughts; talk with

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

in or at that place or location

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The cyclist had stretched himself at full length on the grass under an immense elm tree and was lazily blowing blue rings of smoke skywards.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading Presently there broke upon the noonday stillness a cry for help.

precisely as stated

From this reading The air was very still and hot, and the hum of insects made a drowsy accompaniment to the songs of the birds.

plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The latter had seated herself on the stump of an old tree and was busily engaged in re-reading her mail, at which she had glanced only carelessly that morning.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading AS they talked the young girls wandered over the grassy sward of the churchyard and their voices grew fainter and fainter to the cyclist and Miss Sallie.