used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
battle-field
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
bog-cotton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
brimmingadjectiveUS /ˈbrɪmɪŋ/
filled to capacity
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
cotenounUS /koʊt/
a small shelter for domestic animals (as sheep or pigeons)
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
crimsonadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪmzən/
of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
the first light of day
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
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 Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
past form of “flash” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
fouladjectiveUS /faʊl/
highly offensive; arousing aversion or disgust
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
frowningadjectiveUS /ˈfraʊnɪŋ/
showing displeasure or anger
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
furzenoun
very spiny and dense evergreen shrub with fragrant golden-yellow flowers; common throughout western Europe
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
ghastlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡæstli/
shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
heathnounUS /hiːθ/
a low evergreen shrub of the family Ericaceae; has small bell-shaped pink or purple flowers
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
houndsnounUS /haʊndz/
plural of “hound” — any of several breeds of dog used for hunting typically having large drooping ears
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
huenounUS /hjuː/
the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
go away from a place
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
loweringadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərɪŋ/
darkened by clouds
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading TO THE NORTH.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
PatchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
poolsnounUS /puːlz/
plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
shadowedadjectiveUS /ˈʃædoʊd/
filled with shade
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
inflected form of “sleep” — be asleep
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
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 Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
streaknounUS /striːk/
an unbroken series of events
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
stretchesnounUS /ˈstretʃəz/
plural of “stretch” — a large and unbroken expanse or distance
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
TamedadjectiveUS /teɪmd/
brought from wildness into a domesticated state
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TO THE NORTH.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
thunderousadjectiveUS /ˈθʌndərəs/
loud enough to cause (temporary) hearing loss
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading TO THE NORTH.
wastesnounUS /weɪsts/
plural of “waste” — any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading A lowering sky--dark and thunderous--shadowed the frowning wastes before him.
wattledverbUS /ˈwɑːtəld/
past form of “wattle” — build of or with wattle
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
a Caucasian
From this reading Patches of white bog-cotton sprang here and there--ghastly in the early light; brimming pools flashed like dull steel around; the stretches of furze and heath held a dull crimson in their hue like the spent blood on a battle-field.
wolvesnounUS /wʊlvz/
plural of “wolf” — any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs
From this reading Tamed wolves and great hounds slept on the straw beside them, making the air so foul that they were glad to leave at the first streak of dawn.
wood-cutter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They spent that night in the wattled cote of a wood-cutter.
