used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A CONSPIRACY.
agitatedadjectiveUS /ˈædʒəteɪtɪd/
troubled emotionally and usually deeply
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
announcingverbUS /əˈnaʊnsɪŋ/
-ing form of “announce” — make known; make an announcement
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
a particular environment or surrounding influence
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
awakeningnounUS /əˈweɪkənɪŋ/
the act of waking
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
buzzedverbUS /bʌzd/
past form of “buzz” — make a buzzing sound
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
CONSPIRACYnounUS /kənˈspɪrəsi/
a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act
From this reading A CONSPIRACY.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
past form of “disappear” — get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
discnounUS /dɪsk/
sound recording consisting of a disk with a continuous groove; used to reproduce music by rotating while a phonograph needle tracks in the groove
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
emergingadjectiveUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒɪŋ/
coming to maturity
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
fitfuladjectiveUS /ˈfɪtfəl/
occurring in spells and often abruptly
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
foliagenounUS /ˈfoʊlɪdʒ/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
greenishadjectiveUS /ˈɡriːnɪʃ/
of the color between blue and yellow in the color spectrum; similar to the color of fresh grass
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
growlsnounUS /ɡraʊlz/
plural of “growl” — the sound of growling (as made by animals)
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
gustsnounUS /ɡʌsts/
plural of “gust” — a strong current of air
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
lairs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
lakesnounUS /leɪks/
plural of “lake” — a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
for more time
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
mosquitoesnounUS /məˈskiːtoʊz/
plural of “mosquito” — two-winged insect whose female has a long proboscis to pierce the skin and suck the blood of humans and animals
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
plural of “movement” — a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
myriads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
not any; not one
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
pondsnounUS /pɑːndz/
plural of “pond” — a small lake
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
with speed
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
refreshedadjectiveUS /riˈfreʃt/
with restored energy
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
regainedverbUS /riˈɡeɪnd/
past form of “regain” — get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
reptilesnounUS /ˈreptaɪlz/
plural of “reptile” — any cold-blooded vertebrate of the class Reptilia including tortoises, turtles, snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and extinct forms
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
roostverbUS /ruːst/
sit, as on a branch
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
salutingverbUS /səˈluːtɪŋ/
-ing form of “salute” — propose a toast to
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
sensiblyadverbUS /ˈsensəbli/
with good sense or in a reasonable or intelligent manner
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
the context and environment in which something is set
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
shadowedadjectiveUS /ˈʃædoʊd/
filled with shade
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
shrubberynounUS /ˈʃrʌbəri/
an area where a number of shrubs are planted
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
in the near future
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
stagnantadjectiveUS /ˈstæɡnənt/
not circulating or flowing
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
thicketsnounUS /ˈθɪkəts/
plural of “thicket” — a dense growth of bushes
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need
From this reading Already some dull growls had troubled the silence of the desert, announcing the awakening of the animals, saluting, on emerging from their secret lairs, the setting of the sun.
twilightnounUS /ˈtwaɪlaɪt/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The mosquitoes buzzed by myriads over the ponds and lakes, the greenish and stagnant water of which was agitated by the movements of the reptiles.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The atmosphere was sensibly refreshed, and though light remained on the plain, the thickets and shrubbery were already shadowed by twilight.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The sun, which had been nearly on the level of the horizon, soon disappeared; his disc was no longer visible through the branches; the evening breeze in fitful gusts agitated the foliage, and the birds rapidly regained their roost for the night.
