used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
CHASEverbUS /tʃeɪs/
go after with the intent to catch
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
coolernounUS /ˈkuːlər/
a refrigerator for cooling liquids
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
curledadjectiveUS /kɜːrld/
(of hair) making curls or having been made to curl
From this reading The grass curled tight down to the ground.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
flamedverbUS /fleɪmd/
past form of “flame” — shine with a sudden light
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
golden-backed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
in a gradual manner
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The grass curled tight down to the ground.
grassesnounUS /ˈɡræsəz/
plural of “grass” — narrow-leaved green herbage: grown as lawns; used as pasture for grazing animals; cut and dried as hay
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The grass curled tight down to the ground.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
plural of “line” — a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
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 The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
morningsnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/
plural of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
Periods of darkness between sunset and sunrise.
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
plovernounUS /ˈplʌvər/
any of numerous chiefly shorebirds of relatively compact build having straight bills and large pointed wings; closely related to the sandpipers
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
searedadjectiveUS /sɪrd/
having the surface burned quickly with intense heat
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
shorteradjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtər/
comparative of “short” — primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
steel-clear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
an impression that something might be the case
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
tightadjectiveUS /taɪt/
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading The grass curled tight down to the ground.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Then gradually there came the time of shorter days and cooler nights.
timidadjectiveUS /ˈtɪmɪd/
showing fear and lack of confidence
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The grass curled tight down to the ground.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE CHASE The summer flamed up into sudden heat, and seared all the grasses, and cut down the timid flowers.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The air carried a suspicion of frost upon some steel-clear mornings.
wavingnounUS /ˈweɪvɪŋ/
the act of signaling by a movement of the hand
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The golden-backed plover had passed to the south in long, waving lines, which showed dark against the deep blue sky.
