used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
bloomnounUS /bluːm/
the organic process of bearing flowers
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
chateaunounUS /ʃæˈtoʊ/
an impressive country house (or castle) in France
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
courtyardnounUS /ˈkɔːrt.jɑːrd/
An unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by the walls of a house.
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
separate with or as if with an instrument
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
cypress-trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
dinedverbUS /daɪnd/
past form of “dine” — have supper; eat dinner
From this reading The Marquis had dined.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
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 They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
a republic in western Europe; the largest country wholly in Europe
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
Gemosac
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
GirondenounUS /dʒərˈɔːnd/
the French moderate political party that was in power (1791-1793) during the French Revolution
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
a state of high honor
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
habitableadjectiveUS /ˈhæbətəbəl/
fit for habitation
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Marquis had dined.
hazenounUS /heɪz/
atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
humorist who wrote about the imaginary life of cockroaches (1878-1937)
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
marsh-lands
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
meltedadjectiveUS /ˈmeltəd/
changed from a solid to a liquid state
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
mignonettenoun
Mediterranean woody annual widely cultivated for its dense terminal spikelike clusters greenish or yellowish white flowers having an intense spicy fragrance
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
and nothing more
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
outlinenounUS /ˈaʊtlaɪn/
the line that appears to bound an object
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
plainsnounUS /pleɪnz/
plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
sentrynounUS /ˈsentri/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
not moving or operating freely
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
not in physical motion
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading They dined early in those days in France, and coffee was still served after the evening meal.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
westwardadverbUS /ˈwestwərd/
toward the west
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
in or at the place that
From this reading From his position he looked across the courtyard toward the garden where stiff cypress-trees stood sentry among the mignonette and the roses, now in the full glory of their autumn bloom.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Beyond the garden, the rough outline of the walls cut a straight line across the distant plains, which melted away into the haze of the marsh-lands by the banks of the Gironde far to the westward.
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 The Marquis de Gemosac was sitting at the open window of the little drawing-room in the only habitable part of the chateau.
