used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
acrenounUS /ˈeɪkər/
a unit of area (4840 square yards) used in English-speaking countries
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
(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 It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
in addition
From this reading Also, the silence was extreme.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
plural of “animal” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
bananasnounUS /bəˈnænəz/
plural of “banana” — any of several tropical and subtropical treelike herbs of the genus Musa having a terminal crown of large entire leaves and usually bearing hanging clusters of elongated fruits
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
breezesnounUS /ˈbriːzɪz/
plural of “breeze” — a slight wind (usually refreshing)
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
make calm or still
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
one or the other of two
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
else
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
evolutions
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
of the greatest possible degree or extent or intensity
From this reading Also, the silence was extreme.
firefliesnounUS /ˈfaɪərflaɪz/
plural of “firefly” — tropical American click beetle having bright luminous spots
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
gros-gros
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
illuminatedadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈluːməneɪtəd/
provided with artificial light
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
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 moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
luxuriantadjectiveUS /ləɡˈʒɜːriənt/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
engage in
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
12 o'clock at night; the middle of the night
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
moriches
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
myriads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading Also, the silence was extreme.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
sparklingadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːrklɪŋ/
shining with brilliant points of light like stars
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
in or at that place or location
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
the upper part of anything
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
tropicaladjectiveUS /ˈtrɑːpɪkəl/
relating to or situated in or characteristic of the tropics (the region on either side of the equator)
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading The moon did not top the eastern bank of the river until long past midnight, and the stars gave but little light.
vegetationnounUS /ˌvedʒəˈteɪʃən/
all the plant life in a particular region or period
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a particularly dark night and all was very calm.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
whirledverbUS /wɜːrld/
past form of “whirl” — turn in a twisting or spinning motion
From this reading And sparkling all around him, as they whirled in their evolutions, were the myriads of fireflies that make every tropical acre of ground look like an illuminated garden; but, beyond these and the dim stars above the opening between the two banks, there was nothing else to be seen.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading Sometimes, it is true, he could hear the rustling of birds and small animals in the luxuriant vegetation on either bank, or catch the whisper of the soft night breezes among the _gros-gros_, the moriches, and the great leaves of the green bananas; but that was all.
