used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
AlongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
boltnounUS /boʊlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
eat an early morning meal
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
CatchingnounUS /ˈkætʃɪŋ/
(baseball) playing the position of catcher on a baseball team
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
claritynounUS /ˈklerəti/
free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
CLIFFnounUS /klɪf/
a steep high face of rock
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
COMBATnounUS /ˈkɑːmbæt/
an engagement fought between two military forces
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
seemingly without interruption
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
without deviation
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
dozedverbUS /doʊzd/
past form of “doze” — sleep lightly or for a short period of time
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
drowsyadjectiveUS /ˈdraʊzi/
half asleep
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
eaglesnounUS /ˈiːɡəlz/
plural of “eagle” — any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
easternadjectiveUS /ˈiːstərn/
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
opinion or judgment
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
-ing form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
hunternounUS /ˈhʌntər/
someone who hunts game
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
impatientlyadverbUS /ˌɪmˈpeɪʃəntli/
with impatience; in an impatient manner
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
jaggedadjectiveUS /ˈdʒæɡəd/
having a sharply uneven surface or outline
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
marverbUS /mɑːr/
make imperfect
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
midadjectiveUS /mɪd/
used in combination to denote the middle
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
past form of “mutter” — talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
palingnoun
a fence made of upright pickets
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
by chance
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
poisedadjectiveUS /pɔɪzd/
marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
From this reading Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised in mid air, Ralph muttered:
preynounUS /preɪ/
a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
rabbitnounUS /ˈræbət/
any of various burrowing animals of the family Leporidae having long ears and short tails; some domesticated and raised for pets or food
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
Ralph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
rimnounUS /rɪm/
the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
past form of “rouse” — become active
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
rovingnounUS /ˈroʊvɪŋ/
travelling about without any clear destination
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
soaringadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːrɪŋ/
ascending to a level markedly higher than the usual
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
feeling a need to see others suffer
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
squirrelnounUS /ˈskwɜːrəl/
a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
express in words
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
unwaryadjectiveUS /ənˈweri/
not alert to danger or deception
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
at the time that
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with his eyes continually roving over the jagged side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when they rose to stretch their wings in the first flight of the day.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
woodchucknounUS /ˈwʊdtʃʌk/
reddish brown North American marmot
From this reading Directly over his head, soaring high over the trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, squirrel, or fat woodchuck, for breakfast.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading Along the eastern rim of the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow without a cloud to mar its perfect clarity.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading How long the young hunter dozed he could not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently.
