used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
athwartadverbUS /əˈθwɔːrt/
at right angles to the center line of a ship
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
barrensnounUS /ˈbærənz/
plural of “barren” — an uninhabited wilderness that is worthless for cultivation
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
beltnounUS /belt/
endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
Benson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
birchnounUS /bɜːrtʃ/
hard close-grained wood of any of various birch trees; used especially in furniture and interior finishes and plywood
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
BlakenounUS /bleɪk/
visionary British poet and painter (1757-1827)
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
clumpsnounUS /klʌmps/
plural of “clump” — a grouping of a number of similar things
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
inflected form of “compel” — force somebody to do something
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
traveling across
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
cutsnounUS /kʌts/
plural of “cut” — a share of the profits
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
desolateadjectiveUS /ˈdesələt/
providing no shelter or sustenance
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
dottedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːtəd/
having a pattern of dots
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
drearyadjectiveUS /ˈdrɪri/
lacking in liveliness or charm or surprise
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
fadingnounUS /ˈfeɪdɪŋ/
weakening in force or intensity
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
having dropped by the force of gravity
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
forbiddingadjectiveUS /fərˈbɪdɪŋ/
harshly uninviting or formidable in manner or appearance
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
set up or found
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
gnarledadjectiveUS /nɑːrld/
used of old persons or old trees; covered with knobs or knots
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
HardingnounUS /ˈhɑːrdɪŋ/
29th President of the United States; two of his appointees were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal (1865-1823)
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
inhabitedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈhæbətəd/
having inhabitants; lived in
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
laggingnounUS /ˈlæɡɪŋ/
insulation used to wrap around pipes or boilers or laid in attics to prevent loss of heat
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
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 The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
marshyadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrʃi/
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
muskeg
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
needlesnounUS /ˈniːdəlz/
plural of “needle” — the leaf of a conifer
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
not any; not one
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
packhorses
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
select carefully from a group
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
poplarnounUS /ˈpɑːplər/
soft light-colored non-durable wood of the poplar
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
prairienounUS /ˈpreri/
a treeless grassy plain
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
uttered with a trill
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
inflected form of “sink” — fall or descend to a lower place or level
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
occurring or distributed over widely spaced and irregular intervals in time or space
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
the place where some action occurs
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
settlingnounUS /ˈsetəlɪŋ/
a gradual sinking to a lower level
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
sparselyadverbUS /ˈspɑːrsli/
in a sparse way
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
depleted of energy, force, or strength
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
spruces
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
not in physical motion
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
stragglingadjective
spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
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 Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
a source of difficulty
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
twistedadjectiveUS /ˈtwɪstɪd/
having an intended meaning altered or misrepresented
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
unsymmetricallyadverb
in an asymmetrical manner
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading TROUBLE Darkness was settling down over the edge of the timber belt that cuts off the prairie from the desolate barrens.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
wearilyadverbUS /ˈwerəli/
in a weary manner
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The spruces were gnarled and twisted by the wind, a number of them were dead, and many leaned unsymmetrically athwart each other.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Blake and Harding found no beauty in the scene as they wearily led two packhorses through the thin, scattered trees, with Benson lagging a short distance behind.
witheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading They had spent some time crossing a wide stretch of rolling country dotted with clumps of poplar and birch, which was still sparsely inhabited; and now they were compelled to pick their way among fallen branches and patches of muskeg, for the ground was marshy and their feet sank among the withered needles.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading In the fading light the straggling wood wore a dreary, forbidding look.
