AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
attemptsnounUS /əˈtempts/
plural of “attempt” — earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
broom-plant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
characternounUS /ˈkerɪktər/
an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
cursenounUS /kɜːrs/
profane or obscene expression usually of surprise or anger
From this reading Nature seemed to have laid her curse upon it.
defiedverbUS /dɪˈfaɪd/
inflected form of “defy” — resist or confront with resistance
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
enrichverbUS /enˈrɪtʃ/
make better or improve in quality
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
fewadjectiveUS /fjuː/
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
growverbUS /ɡroʊ/
pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Nothing would grow there.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Nature seemed to have laid her curse upon it.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Nature seemed to have laid her curse upon it.
hereadverbUS /hiːr/
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Nature seemed to have laid her curse upon it.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/
set down according to a plan
From this reading Nature seemed to have laid her curse upon it.
literallyadverbUS /ˈlɪtərəli/
in a literal sense
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
Marie-Anne
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
Maurice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
meetverbUS /miːt/
come together
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
nameverbUS /neɪm/
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
NaturenounUS /ˈneɪtʃər/
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Nature seemed to have laid her curse upon it.
NothingpronounUS /ˈnʌθɪŋ/
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing would grow there.
oaksnounUS /oʊks/
plural of “oak” — the hard durable wood of any oak; used especially for furniture and flooring
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
owedverbUS /oʊd/
past form of “owe” — be obliged to pay or repay
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
promisedverbUS /ˈprɑːməst/
past form of “promise” — make a promise or commitment
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
rebelliousadjectiveUS /rɪˈbeljəs/
resisting control or authority
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
Reche
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
rosenounUS /roʊz/
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
sandyadjectiveUS /ˈsændi/
of hair color; pale yellowish to yellowish brown
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
seemedverbUS /siːmd/
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Nature seemed to have laid her curse upon it.
soilnounUS /sɔɪl/
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
sterileadjectiveUS /ˈsterəl/
incapable of reproducing
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
stonesnounUS /stoʊnz/
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
stuntedadjectiveUS /ˈstʌntɪd/
inferior in size or quality
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading Nothing would grow there.
thornsnounUS /θɔːrnz/
plural of “thorn” — something that causes irritation and annoyance
From this reading A few stunted oaks rose here and there above the thorns and broom-plant.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
translatedverbUS /trænzˈleɪtɪd/
past form of “translate” — restate (words) from one language into another language
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Nature seemed to have laid her curse upon it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
WastenounUS /weɪst/
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading The Reche, literally translated the “Waste,” where Marie-Anne had promised to meet Maurice, owed its name to the rebellious and sterile character of the soil.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The ground was covered with stones, and the sandy soil defied all attempts to enrich it.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Nothing would grow there.
