adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
absorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
acrossprepositionUS /əˈkrɔːs/
from one side of something to the other
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
adobenounUS /əˈdoʊbi/
the clay from which adobe bricks are made
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
armchairnounUS /ˈɑːrmtʃer/
chair with a support on each side for arms
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
bareadjectiveUS /ber/
completely unclothed
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
blanketsnounUS /ˈblæŋkəts/
plural of “blanket” — bedding that keeps a person warm in bed
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
blazedverbUS /bleɪzd/
past form of “blaze” — shine brightly and intensively
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
Bo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
booknounUS /bʊk/
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
bunchedverbUS /bʌntʃt/
past form of “bunch” — form into a bunch
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
cattlenounUS /ˈkætəl/
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
cedarnounUS /ˈsiːdər/
any of numerous trees of the family Cupressaceae that resemble cedars
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
comfortableadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtəbəl/
providing or experiencing physical well-being or relief (“comfy” is informal)
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
curledadjectiveUS /kɜːrld/
(of hair) making curls or having been made to curl
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
droppedverbUS /drɑːpt/
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
dustverbUS /dʌst/
remove the dust from
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
edgenounUS /edʒ/
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
fireplacenounUS /ˈfaɪərpleɪs/
an open recess in a wall at the base of a chimney where a fire can be built
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
flatsnounUS /flæts/
footwear (shoes or slippers) with no heel (or a very low heel)
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
frostyadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːsti/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
gazingverbUS /ˈɡeɪzɪŋ/
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
HelennounUS /ˈhelən/
(Greek mythology) the beautiful daughter of Zeus and Leda who was abducted by Paris; the Greek army sailed to Troy to get her back which resulted in the Trojan War
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
hugeadjectiveUS /hjuːdʒ/
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
keenadjectiveUS /kiːn/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
knittingnounUS /ˈnɪtɪŋ/
needlework created by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops using straight eyeless needles or by machine
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
lapverbUS /læp/
lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
layverbUS /leɪ/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
leenounUS /liː/
United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957)
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
living-roomnoun
a room in a private house or establishment where people can sit and talk and relax
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
logsnounUS /lɔːɡz/
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
lowadjectiveUS /loʊ/
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
many-colored
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
mountainsnounUS /ˈmaʊntənz/
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
outadjectiveUS /aʊt/
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
pensivelyadverb
in a pensive manner
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
placesnounUS /ˈpleɪsəz/
plural of “place” — a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
protectedadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪd/
kept safe or defended from danger or injury or loss
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
ranchnounUS /ræntʃ/
farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
ranch-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
rangesnounUS /ˈreɪndʒəz/
plural of “range” — an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
Rayner
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
rednounUS /red/
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
ridgesnounUS /ˈrɪdʒəz/
plural of “ridge” — a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
satnounUS /sæt/
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
scantadjectiveUS /skænt/
less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
scurriedverbUS /ˈskɜːrid/
inflected form of “scurry” — to move about or proceed hurriedly
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
sheetsnounUS /ʃiːts/
plural of “sheet” — any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
snownounUS /snoʊ/
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
steelyadjectiveUS /ˈstiːli/
resembling steel as in hardness
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
stonenounUS /stoʊn/
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A scant snow lay in protected places; cattle stood bunched in the lee of ridges; low sheets of dust scurried across the flats.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
uncle'snounUS /ˈʌŋkəlz/
possessive form of “uncle” — the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Bo Rayner sat before the fire, curled up in an armchair, absorbed in a book.
wallsnounUS /wɔːlz/
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 The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
warmadjectiveUS /wɔːrm/
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
whippedverbUS /wɪpt/
inflected form of “whip” — beat severely with a whip or rod
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
white-capped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
windnounUS /waɪnd/
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
windownounUS /ˈwɪndoʊ/
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 Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
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 The winter day was bright, but steely, and the wind that whipped down from the white-capped mountains had a keen, frosty edge.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The big living-room of the ranch-house was warm and comfortable with its red adobe walls, its huge stone fireplace where cedar logs blazed, and its many-colored blankets.
yellowadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊ/
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading Helen Rayner dropped her knitting into her lap and sat pensively gazing out of the window over the bare yellow ranges of her uncle's ranch.
