adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
aldernounUS /ˈɔːldər/
wood of any of various alder trees; resistant to underwater rot; used for bridges etc
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle.
answeredverbUS /ˈænsərd/
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
balmier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
beganverbUS /bɪˈɡæn/
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle.
boldestadjectiveUS /ˈboʊldɪst/
superlative of “bold” — fearless and daring
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
brokenadjectiveUS /ˈbroʊkən/
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
cameverbUS /keɪm/
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
caughtverbUS /kɑːt/
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
driftsnounUS /drɪfts/
plural of “drift” — a force that moves something along
From this reading The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle.
dripverbUS /drɪp/
fall in drops
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
eavesnounUS /iːvz/
the overhang at the lower edge of a roof
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
formnounUS /fɔːrm/
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
grewverbUS /ɡruː/
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
gurglingverbUS /ˈɡɜːrɡəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “gurgle” — flow in an irregular current with a bubbling noise
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
HereadverbUS /hiːr/
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
hiddenadjectiveUS /ˈhɪdən/
not accessible to view
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
ice-water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
laughternounUS /ˈlæftər/
the sound of laughing
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
metalnounUS /ˈmetəl/
any of several chemical elements that are usually shiny solids that conduct heat or electricity and can be formed into sheets etc.
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
mountainsidesnounUS /ˈmaʊntənsaɪdz/
plural of “mountainside” — the side or slope of a mountain
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
noonnounUS /nuːn/
the middle of the day
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
NowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
poolsnounUS /puːlz/
plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
retreatednounUS /riˈtriːtəd/
people who have retreated
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
rushverbUS /rʌʃ/
move hurridly
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
settleverbUS /ˈsetəl/
settle into a position, usually on a surface or ground
From this reading The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle.
showverbUS /ʃoʊ/
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
shrinkverbUS /ʃrɪŋk/
wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle.
sightnounUS /saɪt/
an instance of visual perception
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
snownounUS /snoʊ/
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
snowsnounUS /snoʊz/
plural of “snow” — precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle.
springnounUS /sprɪŋ/
the season of growth
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
sun-rays
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle.
themselvespronounUS /ðemˈselvz/
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
thicketsnounUS /ˈθɪkəts/
plural of “thicket” — a dense growth of bushes
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
thrustverbUS /θrʌst/
push forcefully
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The snows began to shrink and the drifts to settle.
topsadjectiveUS /tɑːps/
of the highest quality
From this reading Here and there the boldest mountainsides began to show, and the tops of alder thickets thrust themselves into sight.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
watersnounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
United States actress and singer (1896-1977)
From this reading The air grew balmier with every day; the drip from eaves was answered by the gurgling laughter of hidden waters.
WhereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Now that winter had broken, spring came with a rush.
woodnounUS /wʊd/
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading Where wood or metal caught the sun-rays the snow retreated; pools of ice-water began to form at noon.
