used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
aldernounUS /ˈɔːldər/
wood of any of various alder trees; resistant to underwater rot; used for bridges etc
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
buddingnounUS /ˈbʌdɪŋ/
reproduction of some unicellular organisms (such as yeasts) by growth and specialization followed by the separation by constriction of a part of the parent
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
budsnounUS /bʌdz/
plural of “bud” — a partially opened flower
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
plural of “bush” — a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
campusnounUS /ˈkæmpəs/
a field on which the buildings of a university are situated
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
a small house with a single story
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
crocusesnounUS /ˈkroʊkjuːsɪz/
plural of “crocus” — any of numerous low-growing plants of the genus Crocus having slender grasslike leaves and white or yellow or purple flowers; native chiefly to the Mediterranean region but widely cultivated
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
dawnedverbUS /dɔːnd/
past form of “dawn” — become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
the act of discovering something
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
EasternounUS /ˈiːstər/
a Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Christ; celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
elmsnounUS /elmz/
plural of “elm” — any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
encouragedadjectiveUS /enˈkɜːrɪdʒd/
inspired with confidence
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
evidencesnounUS /ˈevədənsəz/
plural of “evidence” — your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
opinion or judgment
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
hitheradverbUS /ˈhɪðər/
an old word meaning “to this place”
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
holidaysnounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪz/
plural of “holiday” — leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
homesnounUS /hoʊmz/
plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
joyousadjectiveUS /ˈdʒɔɪəs/
full of or characterized by joy
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
immediately past
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
lawnsnounUS /lɔːnz/
plural of “lawn” — a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
leafnounUS /liːf/
the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
held up in the air
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
lilacnounUS /ˈlaɪlæk/
any of various plants of the genus Syringa having large panicles of usually fragrant flowers
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
appealing to the emotions as well as the eye
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
any art that invokes supernatural powers
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
maplesnounUS /ˈmeɪpəlz/
plural of “maple” — wood of any of various maple trees; especially the hard close-grained wood of the sugar maple; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
of an obscure nature
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
notchesnounUS /ˈnɑːtʃəz/
plural of “notch” — a V-shaped indentation
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
one's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
PalmnounUS /pɑːm/
the inner surface of the hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
precedingadjectiveUS /priˈsiːdɪŋ/
existing or coming before
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
roadsidenounUS /ˈroʊdsaɪd/
edge of a way or road or path
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
roamedverbUS /roʊmd/
past form of “roam” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
robinsnounUS /ˈrɑːbənz/
plural of “robin” — small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
the act of searching for something
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
work done by one person or group that benefits another
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
showersnounUS /ˈʃaʊərz/
plural of “shower” — a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
a short musical composition with words
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
that is looked for
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
sparrowsnounUS /ˈsperoʊz/
plural of “sparrow” — any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insects
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
the season of growth
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
suitableadjectiveUS /ˈsuːtəbəl/
meant or adapted for an occasion or use
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
first day of the week; observed as a day of rest and worship by most Christians
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
thitheradverbUS /ˈðɪθɜːr/
an old word meaning “to that place”
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
very small
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
precisely as stated
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
VESPERnounUS /ˈvespər/
a planet (usually Venus) seen at sunset in the western sky
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
VigilantesnounUS /ˌvɪdʒəˈlæntiz/
plural of “vigilante” — member of a vigilance committee
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading It dawned beautiful—warm and sunny as a late spring clay—and as the hours followed one another, each seemed more lovely than the last.
warmedadjectiveUS /wɔːrmd/
having been warmed up
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading VESPER SERVICE The Sunday following the Vigilantes’ mysterious discovery by the roadside, and immediately preceding the Easter holidays, was Palm Sunday.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Song sparrows sang from budding alder bushes, and robins flew hither and thither among the elms and maples, seeking suitable notches in which to begin their homes.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The world seemed especially joyous to the girls, as they roamed the woods in search of wild flowers, or sought about the campus for fresh evidences of spring.
yesterday'snounUS /ˈjestərdeɪz/
possessive form of “yesterday” — the day immediately before today
From this reading As if by magic, purple and golden crocuses lifted their tiny faces on the southern sides of the cottage lawns; and the buds of the lilac trees, warmed and encouraged by yesterday’s showers, burst into leaf before one’s very eyes.
