used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
abatesverbUS /əˈbeɪts/
third-person singular of “abate” — make less active or intense
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
anew
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
basinnounUS /ˈbeɪsən/
a bowl-shaped vessel; usually used for holding food or liquids
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
beginsnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnz/
plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
blastverbUS /blæst/
make a strident sound
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
brightlyadverbUS /ˈbraɪtli/
with brightness
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
BURSTSnounUS /bɜːrsts/
plural of “burst” — the act of exploding or bursting
From this reading THE STORM BURSTS.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
make calm or still
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
spoiled or ruined or demolished
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/
plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
in a gradual manner
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
set down according to a plan
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
the force of workers available
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
MississippinounUS /ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/
a major North American river and the chief river of the United States; rises in northern Minnesota and flows southward into the Gulf of Mexico
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
a particular point in time
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
nightfallnounUS /ˈnaɪtfɔːl/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
overheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
ruthlessadjectiveUS /ˈruːθləs/
without mercy or pity
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
the season of growth
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
stalkverbUS /stɔːk/
walk stiffly
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading THE STORM BURSTS.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
sweepsnounUS /swiːps/
plural of “sweep” — a wide scope
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
possessing sweep
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The terrible blast sweeps on, but gradually abates its ruthless might, and by nightfall all is calm again.
terriblyadverbUS /ˈterəbli/
used as intensifiers
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE STORM BURSTS.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
townsnounUS /taʊnz/
plural of “town” — an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
villagesnounUS /ˈvɪlədʒəz/
plural of “village” — a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wind suddenly begins to roar, and in a few minutes a storm bursts in awful fury.
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
a late time of life
From this reading Whole forests are laid low; houses, villages, and towns are swept into ruin; men, women, and children lie dead beneath the stone and timber that sheltered them; the pride and labour of years are destroyed in a moment, and terror and desolation stalk the land.
but in spite of that
From this reading In the basin of the great American river Mississippi one may go forth on a spring morning with the sun brightly shining and a blue sky overhead, yet within a single hour all may be terribly changed.
