used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
blazedverbUS /bleɪzd/
past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
plural of “child” — a young person of either sex
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
cometnounUS /ˈkɑːmət/
(astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
doorstepnounUS /ˈdɔːrstep/
the sill of a door; a horizontal piece of wood or stone that forms the bottom of a doorway and offers support when passing through a doorway
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.--Down, pussy, down, down!--A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
extraordinarilyadverbUS /ekˌstrɔːrdəˈnerəli/
extremely
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
FarmingnounUS /ˈfɑːrmɪŋ/
the practice of cultivating the land or raising stock
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading "A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.--Down, pussy, down, down!--A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.
people in general (often used in the plural)
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
fortnightnounUS /ˈfɔːrtnaɪt/
a period of fourteen consecutive days
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
graveyardnounUS /ˈɡreɪvjɑːrd/
a tract of land used for burials
From this reading "A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.--Down, pussy, down, down!--A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading "A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.--Down, pussy, down, down!--A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
JanuarynounUS /ˈdʒænjuːeri/
the first month of the year; begins 10 days after the winter solstice
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading "A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.--Down, pussy, down, down!--A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.
mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/
moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
negroesnounUS /ˈniːɡroʊz/
plural of “negro” — a person with African ancestry, "Negro" and "Negroid" are archaic and pejorative today
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
neighbourhoodnounUS /ˈneɪbərhʊd/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
and nothing more
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
passer-bynoun
a person who passes by casually or by chance
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
past form of “proceed” — continue talking
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
prophesiedverbUS /ˈprɑːfəsaɪd/
inflected form of “prophesy” — predict or reveal through, or as if through, divine inspiration
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
established beyond doubt
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
pussynounUS /ˈpʊsi/
obscene terms for female genitals
From this reading "A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.--Down, pussy, down, down!--A green Christmas makes a fat graveyard.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
on the contrary
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
skiesnounUS /skaɪz/
plural of “sky” — the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
not in physical motion
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The season had proved extraordinarily mild--it seemed Indian summer still rather than only a fortnight from Christmas.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
not usual or common or ordinary
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
the sensation caused by heat energy
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
WINCHESTERnounUS /ˈwɪntʃestər/
a city in southern England; administrative center of Hampshire
From this reading WINCHESTER The December afternoon was drawing to a quiet close.
witchnounUS /wɪtʃ/
a female sorcerer or magician
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading An old woman whom the children called a witch sat in the sun on her doorstep, and shook her head at every passer-by.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Farming folk prophesied a cold January, while the neighbourhood negroes held that the unusual warmth proceeded from the comet which blazed this year in the skies.
