used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
abstractionnounUS /æbˈstrækʃən/
a concept or idea not associated with any specific instance
From this reading His was held in a somber abstraction.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading On the afternoon of the fourth day the clouds lifted.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
brighteningverbUS /ˈbraɪtənɪŋ/
-ing form of “brighten” — make more cheerful through the use of color
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
lacking funds
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
campernounUS /ˈkæmpər/
someone living temporarily in a tent or lodge for recreation
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading On the afternoon of the fourth day the clouds lifted.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
crossingsnounUS /ˈkrɔːsɪŋz/
plural of “crossing” — traveling across
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
CrystalnounUS /ˈkrɪstəl/
a solid formed by the solidification of a chemical and having a highly regular atomic structure
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
patron saint of Wales (circa 520-600)
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading On the afternoon of the fourth day the clouds lifted.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
elationnounUS /ɪˈleɪʃən/
an exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
following the third position; number four in a countable series
From this reading On the afternoon of the fourth day the clouds lifted.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading His was held in a somber abstraction.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His was held in a somber abstraction.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
held up in the air
From this reading On the afternoon of the fourth day the clouds lifted.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
the force of workers available
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On the afternoon of the fourth day the clouds lifted.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the afternoon of the fourth day the clouds lifted.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
roadsnounUS /roʊdz/
a partly sheltered anchorage
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
ruttedadjectiveUS /ˈrʌtɪd/
full of ruts
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
cut with a saw
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
somberadjectiveUS /ˈsɑːmbər/
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading His was held in a somber abstraction.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On the afternoon of the fourth day the clouds lifted.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
veining
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His was held in a somber abstraction.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Though a camper and impatient to be off like the rest, he did not feel the elation that shone on their watching faces.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading David Crystal, as he walked through the woods, saw it behind a veining of black branches.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading A band of yellow light broke out along the horizon, and at the crossings of the town and in the rutted country roads men and women stood staring at it with its light and their own hope brightening their faces.
