adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
alkalinounUS /ˈælkəlaɪ/
any of various water-soluble compounds capable of turning litmus blue and reacting with an acid to form a salt and water
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
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 At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
AlongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
AnotherdeterminerUS /əˈnʌðər/
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
aridadjectiveUS /ˈærəd/
lacking sufficient water or rainfall
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
aroseverbUS /ərˈoʊz/
inflected form of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
AtprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
awayadverbUS /əˈweɪ/
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
banksnounUS /bæŋks/
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
bedsnounUS /bedz/
plural of “bed” — a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
bordersnounUS /ˈbɔːrdərz/
plural of “border” — a line that indicates a boundary
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
brownnounUS /braʊn/
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
cedarsnounUS /ˈsiːdərz/
plural of “cedar” — any of numerous trees of the family Cupressaceae that resemble cedars
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
chirpverbUS /tʃɜːrp/
make high-pitched sounds
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
crawledverbUS /krɔːld/
past form of “crawl” — move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
cricketnounUS /ˈkrɪkət/
leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
deadlyadjectiveUS /ˈdedli/
causing or capable of causing death
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
drunkadjectiveUS /drʌŋk/
stupefied or excited by a chemical substance (especially alcohol)
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
dwarfedverbUS /dwɔːrft/
past form of “dwarf” — make appear small by comparison
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
faradverbUS /fɑːr/
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
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 On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
flatadjectiveUS /flæt/
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
floornounUS /flɔːr/
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
foundverbUS /faʊnd/
set up or found
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
fringesnounUS /ˈfrɪndʒɪz/
plural of “fringe” — the outside boundary or surface of something
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
glisteningadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɪsənɪŋ/
reflecting light
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/
coins made of gold
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
graynounUS /ɡreɪ/
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
greennounUS /ɡriːn/
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
growthsnounUS /ɡroʊθs/
plural of “growth” — (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
hereadverbUS /hiːr/
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
lizardnounUS /ˈlɪzərd/
relatively long-bodied reptile with usually two pairs of legs and a tapering tail
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
MiraclenounUS /ˈmɪrəkəl/
any amazing or wonderful occurrence
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
mountainsnounUS /ˈmaʊntənz/
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
musicnounUS /ˈmjuːzɪk/
an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
oak-bush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
occasionaladjectiveUS /əˈkeɪʒənəl/
occurring from time to time
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
onceadverbUS /wʌns/
on one occasion
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
otheradjectiveUS /ˈʌðər/
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
patchedadjectiveUS /pætʃt/
mended usually clumsily by covering a hole with a patch
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
petulantadjectiveUS /ˈpetʃələnt/
easily irritated or annoyed
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
poolsnounUS /puːlz/
plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
purplenounUS /ˈpɜːrpəl/
a purple color or pigment
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
rattlesnakenounUS /ˈrætəlsneɪk/
pit viper with horny segments at the end of the tail that rattle when shaken
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
rosenounUS /roʊz/
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
sage-brush
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
saltnounUS /sɔːlt/
a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
sandsnounUS /sændz/
the region of the shore of a lake or sea or ocean
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
saveprepositionUS /seɪv/
except for; apart from
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
scantadjectiveUS /skænt/
less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
sidesnounUS /saɪdz/
plural of “side” — a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
sodanounUS /ˈsoʊdə/
a sodium salt of carbonic acid; used in making soap powders and glass and paper
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
spangledadjectiveUS /ˈspæŋɡəld/
covered with beads or jewels or sequins
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
sparseadjectiveUS /spɑːrs/
not dense
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
squaw-berry
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
steeps
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
streamnounUS /striːm/
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
sunflowersnounUS /ˈsʌnflaʊərz/
plural of “sunflower” — any plant of the genus Helianthus having large flower heads with dark disk florets and showy yellow rays
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
sweepverbUS /swiːp/
sweep across or over
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
TemptationnounUS /temˈteɪʃən/
something that seduces or has the quality to seduce
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
thirstyadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːrsti/
needing moisture
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Here crawled the lizard and the rattlesnake; and there was no music to the desolation save the petulant chirp of the cricket.
treelessadjectiveUS /ˈtriːləs/
not wooded
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
tumbledverbUS /ˈtʌmbəld/
past form of “tumble” — fall down, as if collapsing
From this reading At the sides an occasional stream tumbled out of the mountains to be all but drunk away at once by the thirsty sands.
valleynounUS /ˈvæli/
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
wastenounUS /weɪst/
any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading On the borders of the valley, where the steeps arose, were little patches of purple and dusty brown, oak-bush, squaw-berry, a few dwarfed cedars, and other scant growths.
wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
WildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
willownounUS /ˈwɪloʊ/
any of numerous deciduous trees and shrubs of the genus Salix
From this reading Along the banks of these was the only green to be found, sparse fringes of willow and wild rose.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Another Miracle and a Temptation in the Wilderness The floor of the valley was an arid waste, flat and treeless, a far sweep of gray and gold, of sage-brush spangled with sunflowers, patched here and there with glistening beds of salt and soda, or pools of the deadly alkali.
