used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading And silhouetted against the blueness of the heights birds were flying about.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading And silhouetted against the blueness of the heights birds were flying about.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading And silhouetted against the blueness of the heights birds were flying about.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
bluenessnounUS /ˈbluːnəs/
blue color or pigment; resembling the color of the clear sky in the daytime
From this reading And silhouetted against the blueness of the heights birds were flying about.
blueradjectiveUS /ˈbluːər/
comparative of “blue” — of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
a youthful male person
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
earthlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrθli/
of or belonging to or characteristic of this earth as distinguished from heaven
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
enchantedadjectiveUS /ɪnˈtʃæn.tɪd/
Filled with or placed under the influence of magical power or charm.
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
enclosurenounUS /enˈkloʊʒər/
a structure consisting of an area that has been enclosed for some purpose
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
extinguishingnounUS /ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃɪŋ/
the act of extinguishing; causing to stop burning
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
flamesnounUS /fleɪmz/
plural of “flame” — the process of combustion of inflammable materials producing heat and light and (often) smoke
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
moving swiftly
From this reading And silhouetted against the blueness of the heights birds were flying about.
Grisha
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
heightsnounUS /haɪts/
a high place
From this reading And silhouetted against the blueness of the heights birds were flying about.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
pouringadjectiveUS /ˈpɔːrɪŋ/
flowing profusely
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
preoccupiedadjectiveUS /priˈɑːkjəpaɪd/
deeply absorbed in thought
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
reposefuladjective
affording physical or mental rest
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
reposefulness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
ruby-coloured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
sadnessnounUS /ˈsædnəs/
emotions experienced when not in a state of well-being
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
silhouettedverbUS /ˌsɪləˈwetɪd/
past form of “silhouette” — project on a background, such as a screen, like a silhouette
From this reading And silhouetted against the blueness of the heights birds were flying about.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
sky-bluenoun
a light shade of blue
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
sparkleverbUS /ˈspɑːrkəl/
reflect brightly
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
the time in the evening at which the sun begins to fall below the horizon
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
in or at that place or location
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The early evening sky was growing bluer--a blue reposefulness was pouring itself out upon the earth and extinguishing the ruby-coloured flames of the sunset.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His face was pale and reposeful, and there was a keen, quiet sparkle in his cool, sky-blue eyes.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And silhouetted against the blueness of the heights birds were flying about.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading Why should they have wings, these earthly, preoccupied creatures?
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The quiet boy Grisha stood within the enclosure of enchanted sadness and mystery.
