used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading Their first anxiety had been for the little house.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It had been so at the rocky hollow, and it was so here.
barknounUS /bɑːrk/
tough protective covering of the woody stems and roots of trees and other woody plants
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been so at the rocky hollow, and it was so here.
Beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
contrastnounUS /ˈkɑːntræst/
the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
drynessnounUS /ˈdraɪnəs/
the condition of not containing or being covered by a liquid (especially water)
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
elementaladjectiveUS /ˌeləˈmentəl/
relating to or being an element
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
divisible by two
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Their first anxiety had been for the little house.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Their first anxiety had been for the little house.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had been so at the rocky hollow, and it was so here.
hailverbUS /heɪl/
praise vociferously
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading It had been so at the rocky hollow, and it was so here.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading It had been so at the rocky hollow, and it was so here.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Their first anxiety had been for the little house.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
increasenounUS /ˌɪnˈkriːs/
a quantity that is added
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
INTOprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had been so at the rocky hollow, and it was so here.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Their first anxiety had been for the little house.
fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
luxurynounUS /ˈlʌɡʒəri/
something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
United States feminist (1885-1977)
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
polesnounUS /poʊlz/
plural of “pole” — a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
quivered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
relaxationnounUS /ˌriːlækˈseɪʃən/
(physiology) the gradual lengthening of inactive muscle or muscle fibers
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
rockyadjectiveUS /ˈrɑːki/
abounding in rocks or stones
From this reading It had been so at the rocky hollow, and it was so here.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
smote
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It had been so at the rocky hollow, and it was so here.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their first anxiety had been for the little house.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading Being built of poles and bark it quivered and trembled, as the wind smote it hard, but it held fast and did not lose a timber.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
(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 INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
at the time that
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading INTO THE NORTH When the wilderness was under the beat of wind or rain or hail or snow Henry and Paul, if sheltered well, never failed to feel an increase of comfort, even of luxury.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The contrast between the storm without and the dryness within gave an elemental feeling of relaxation and content that nothing else could supply.
