used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The lights of Washington flickered across the river.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
argus-eyedadjective
having very keen vision
From this reading The Capitol building gleamed, argus-eyed on the hill.
ArlingtonnounUS /ˈɑːrlɪŋtən/
a city in northern Texas between Dallas and Fort Worth
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The stars began to twinkle in the serene sky.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
next to; at the side of
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
blinkingadjectiveUS /ˈblɪŋkɪŋ/
closing the eyes intermittently and rapidly
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading The Capitol building gleamed, argus-eyed on the hill.
CapitolnounUS /ˈkæpɪtəl/
a building occupied by a state legislature
From this reading The Capitol building gleamed, argus-eyed on the hill.
CongressnounUS /ˈkɑːŋɡrəs/
the legislature of the United States government
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
extensionnounUS /ɪkˈstenʃən/
a mutually agreed delay in the date set for the completion of a job or payment of a debt
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
firefliesnounUS /ˈfaɪərflaɪz/
plural of “firefly” — tropical American click beetle having bright luminous spots
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
flickeredverbUS /ˈflɪkərd/
past form of “flicker” — move back and forth very rapidly
From this reading The lights of Washington flickered across the river.
gleamedverbUS /ɡliːmd/
past form of “gleam” — be shiny, as if wet
From this reading The Capitol building gleamed, argus-eyed on the hill.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The Capitol building gleamed, argus-eyed on the hill.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
katydidnounUS /ˈkeɪtidɪd/
large green long-horned grasshopper of North America; males produce shrill sounds by rubbing together special organs on the forewings
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading The lights of Washington flickered across the river.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The lights of Washington flickered across the river.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
porticonounUS /ˈpɔːrtəkoʊ/
a porch or entrance to a building consisting of a covered and often columned area
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading The lights of Washington flickered across the river.
rosebushnounUS /ˈroʊzbʊʃ/
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
sereneadjectiveUS /sərˈiːn/
not agitated; without losing self-possession
From this reading The stars began to twinkle in the serene sky.
sessionnounUS /ˈseʃən/
a meeting for execution of a group's functions
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
the act of singing vocal music
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The stars began to twinkle in the serene sky.
SlaverynounUS /ˈsleɪvəri/
the state of being under the control of another person
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The stars began to twinkle in the serene sky.
not in physical motion
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
territoriesnounUS /ˈterətɔːriz/
plural of “territory” — a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The stars began to twinkle in the serene sky.
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 The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
twinkleverbUS /ˈtwɪŋkəl/
gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading The stars began to twinkle in the serene sky.
VirginianounUS /vərˈdʒɪnjə/
a state in the eastern United States; one of the original 13 colonies; one of the Confederate States in the American Civil War
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
the capital of the United States in the District of Columbia and a tourist mecca; George Washington commissioned Charles L'Enfant to lay out the city in 1791
From this reading The lights of Washington flickered across the river.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The fireflies on the Virginia hills were blinking in the dark places beneath the trees and a katydid was singing in the rosebush beside the portico at Arlington.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
wranglingnounUS /ˈræŋɡəlɪŋ/
an instance of intense argument (as in bargaining)
From this reading Congress was in session, still wrangling over the question of Slavery and its extension into the territories of the West.
