used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
affluencenounUS /ˈæfluːəns/
abundant wealth
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
(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 Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
awfuladjectiveUS /ˈɑːfəl/
exceptionally bad or displeasing
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
BehindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
brightnessnounUS /ˈbraɪtnəs/
the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
chastenedverbUS /ˈtʃeɪsənd/
past form of “chasten” — censure severely
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
corridornounUS /ˈkɔːrədər/
an enclosed passageway; rooms usually open onto it
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
couriernounUS /ˈkɜːriər/
a person who carries a message
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
crinkleverb
make wrinkles or creases on a smooth surface; make a pressed, folded or wrinkled line in; “crisp” is archaic
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
dawnedverbUS /dɔːnd/
past form of “dawn” — become clear or enter one's consciousness or emotions
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
displayedverbUS /dɪˈspleɪd/
past form of “display” — to show, make visible or apparent
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
Dreichill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
Etterick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
exceedingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsiːdɪŋ/
far beyond what is usual in magnitude or degree
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
opinion or judgment
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
glennounUS /ɡlen/
a narrow secluded valley (in the mountains)
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
goodliness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
heathernounUS /ˈheðər/
common Old World heath represented by many varieties; low evergreen grown widely in the northern hemisphere
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
JulynounUS /ˌdʒuːˈlaɪ/
the month following June and preceding August
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
LewisnounUS /ˈluːɪs/
United States rock star singer and pianist (born in 1935)
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
lochnounUS /lɑːk/
a long narrow inlet of the sea in Scotland (especially when it is nearly landlocked)
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
not any; not one
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
nooksnounUS /nʊks/
plural of “nook” — a sheltered and secluded place
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
PASTORALadjectiveUS /ˈpæstərəl/
of or relating to a pastor
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
peaknounUS /piːk/
the most extreme possible amount or value
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
piernounUS /pɪr/
a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
pinesnounUS /paɪnz/
plural of “pine” — a coniferous tree
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
past form of “rouse” — become active
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
rubbedverbUS /rʌbd/
inflected form of “rub” — move over something with pressure
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
cut with a saw
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
shoresnounUS /ʃɔːrz/
plural of “shore” — the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
that is looked for
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
splendours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
plural of “stand” — a support or foundation
From this reading The house of Etterick stands high in a crinkle of hill, with a background of dark pines, and in front a lake, set in shores of rock and heather.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
strayverbUS /streɪ/
move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
the rays of the sun
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
in or at that place or location
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
threatsnounUS /θrets/
plural of “threat” — something that is a source of danger
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
up to a particular time
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
uplandsnounUS /ˈʌpləndz/
plural of “upland” — elevated (e.g., mountainous) land
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
verandahnoun
a porch along the outside of a building (sometimes partly enclosed)
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
at the time that
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
an old word meaning “from where”
From this reading He roused his companions with awful threats, and then wandered along a corridor till he came to a low verandah, whence a little pier ran into a sheltered bay of the loch.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Behind a peak of hill it displayed its chastened morning splendours, but a stray affluence of brightness had sought the nooks of valley in all the wide uplands, courier of the great lord of heat and light and the brown summer.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
in the company of; together with
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
but in spite of that
From this reading PASTORAL I A July morning had dawned over the Dreichill, and the glen was filled with sunlight, though as yet there seemed no sun.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading When the world grew bright Lewis awoke, for that strange young man had a trick of rising early, and as he rubbed sleep from his eyes at the window he saw the exceeding goodliness of the morning.
