Chapter IX · Chapter 9

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

(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 They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

a bowl-shaped vessel; usually used for holding food or liquids

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

any of several large deciduous trees with rounded spreading crowns and smooth grey bark and small sweet edible triangular nuts enclosed in burs; north temperate regions

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

in the space, time, or range separating two things

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

of something that is somewhat black

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

A line that marks the limits of an area.

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

having relatively broad rather than needlelike or scalelike leaves

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

absence of light or illumination

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

to a great depth psychologically or emotionally

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

plural of “dune” — a ridge of sand created by the wind; found in deserts or near lakes and oceans

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

hard white substance covering the crown of a tooth

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

come upon, as if by accident; meet with

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

past form of “front” — be oriented in a certain direction, often with respect to another reference point; be opposite to

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

only a very short time before

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

to a high degree; extremely; in high concentration or density

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

the land on which real estate is located

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

wood of a larch tree

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

put into a certain place or abstract location

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

less than normal in degree or intensity or amount

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

past form of “manage” — be successful; achieve a goal

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

tangled in a dense mass

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

not any; not one

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

soft light-colored non-durable wood of the poplar

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

free of extraneous elements of any kind

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

capable of being recognized

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

of the kind already mentioned

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox

From this reading The trees had the appearance of high summer, deeply, intensely green, so that they seemed almost blackish in mass.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

in or at that place or location

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

in spite of the fact that

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

in the direction of

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city

From this reading THE HOLIDAY The Dunes lay some little distance from the town, a low, but suddenly-rising hill boundary, that shut in the basin of flat land.

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 Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest

From this reading There was no undergrowth, but between the dead leaves one could see that a dark green, short-piled moss had managed to find a hold here and there, though so smooth was it that it looked more like old enamel than a natural growth.

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

all the plant life in a particular region or period

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

in the company of; together with

From this reading They were all of pure sand, though in many places so matted with vegetation that it was hardly recognisable as such.

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.

(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth

From this reading Trees grew in places, especially on the side that fronted towards the town; the way up lay through a dense young wood of beech and larch, and a short, broad-leafed variety of poplar.