used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
alternateadjectiveUS /ˈɔːltərnət/
every second one of a series
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
a distinct feature or element in a problem
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
attentivelyadverbUS /əˈtentɪvli/
with attention; in an attentive manner
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
barrelnounUS /ˈbærəl/
a tube through which a bullet travels when a gun is fired
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
butt-end
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
put or send forth
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
chess-board
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
chillyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪli/
not characterized by emotion
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
without doubt or question
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
definedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfaɪnd/
clearly characterized or delimited
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
past form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
forbiddingadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪdɪŋ/
harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
glitteredverbUS /ˈɡlɪtərd/
past form of “glitter” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
not accessible to view
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
illuminedverbUS /ˌɪˈluːmənd/
past form of “illumine” — make lighter or brighter
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
jacketnounUS /ˈdʒækət/
a short coat
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
a feeling of thoughtful sadness
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
mistrustfullyadverb
with distrust
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
the light of the Moon
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
pilesnounUS /paɪlz/
venous swelling external or internal to the anal sphincter
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
having a point
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
the act of pressing; the exertion of pressure
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
rainyadjectiveUS /ˈreɪni/
(of weather) wet by periods of rain
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
secondsnounUS /ˈsekəndz/
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
make square
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
squaresnounUS /skwerz/
plural of “square” — (geometry) a plane rectangle with four equal sides and four right angles; a four-sided regular polygon
From this reading The ground looked like a chess-board, with black and white squares clearly defined by alternate patches of light and shade.
stretchesnounUS /ˈstretʃəz/
plural of “stretch” — a large and unbroken expanse or distance
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
in the direction of
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading Pressing the weapon to his side, he attentively examined the square shadows cast by the piles of timber.
wearsnounUS /werz/
plural of “wear” — impairment resulting from long use
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He carried a long gun, the butt-end of which was hidden under his jacket, while the barrel, pointed towards the ground, glittered in the moonlight.
a Caucasian
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
wood-yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
covered with or as if with clothes or a wrap or cloak
From this reading The wood-yard did not have the forbidding appearance which it wears on rainy nights; illumined by stretches of white light, and wrapped in deep and chilly silence, it spread around with a soft, melancholy aspect.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading For a few seconds the young man paused on the edge of the yard and gazed mistrustfully in front of him.
