used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
bitingadjectiveUS /ˈbaɪtɪŋ/
capable of wounding
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
blowingnounUS /ˈbloʊɪŋ/
processing that involves blowing a gas
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
boat-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
having the power of driving or impelling
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "JUST FOR THE SCHOOL!"
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
hintedverbUS /ˈhɪntəd/
past form of “hint” — drop a hint; intimate by a hint
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
and nothing more
From this reading "JUST FOR THE SCHOOL!"
an intermediate platform in a staircase
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
leadenadjectiveUS /ˈledən/
darkened with overcast
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
mid-river
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
mirrornounUS /ˈmɪrər/
polished surface that forms images by reflecting light
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
nippingadjectiveUS /ˈnɪpɪŋ/
capable of wounding
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
OverheadadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈhed/
above your head; in the sky
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
except for; apart from
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
an educational institution
From this reading "JUST FOR THE SCHOOL!"
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
southwardadverbUS /ˈsaʊθwərd/
toward the south
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
successive (without a break)
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
sullenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌlən/
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "JUST FOR THE SCHOOL!"
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
toesnounUS /toʊz/
plural of “toe” — one of the digits of the foot
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
UnderfootadverbUS /ˌʌndərˈfʊt/
under the feet
From this reading Underfoot the ice rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as a mirror.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows along the banks hinted of coming night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
whirlingnounUS /ˈwɜːrlɪŋ/
the act of rotating in a circle or spiral
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Overhead the winter sky was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward.
