used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
amplyadverbUS /ˈæmpli/
to an ample degree or in an ample manner
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
in a state of sleep
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
English botanist who accompanied Captain Cook on his first voyage to the Pacific Ocean (1743-1820)
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
have
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
beesnounUS /biːz/
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
belatedadjectiveUS /bɪˈleɪtɪd/
after the expected or usual time; delayed
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
bellyingadjective
curving outward
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
showing who or what does the action
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
plural of “cloud” — any collection of particles (e.g., smoke or dust) or gases that is visible
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
complacentadjectiveUS /kəmˈpleɪsənt/
contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
conspiracynounUS /kənˈspɪrəsi/
a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an unlawful act
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
daisiesnounUS /ˈdeɪziz/
plural of “daisy” — any of numerous composite plants having flower heads with well-developed ray flowers usually arranged in a single whorl
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
decentadjectiveUS /ˈdiːsənt/
socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
dogmatismnounUS /ˈdɑːɡmətɪzəm/
the intolerance and prejudice of a bigot
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
operate or control a vehicle
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
duckverbUS /dʌk/
to move (the head or body) quickly downwards or away
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
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 November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
flattenedadjectiveUS /ˈflætənd/
having been flattened
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
frostsnounUS /frɔːsts/
plural of “frost” — ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
gullynounUS /ˈɡʌli/
deep ditch cut by running water (especially after a prolonged downpour)
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
(law) a proceeding (usually by a court) where evidence is taken for the purpose of determining an issue of fact and reaching a decision based on that evidence
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
homesnounUS /hoʊmz/
plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
become part of; become a member of a group or organization
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
justifiedadjectiveUS /ˈdʒʌstəfaɪd/
having words so spaced that lines have straight even margins
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
lurenounUS /lʊr/
qualities that attract by seeming to promise some kind of reward
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/
plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
Michaelmasnoun
honoring the archangel Michael; a quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
used to form the superlative
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
mountingnounUS /ˈmaʊntɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
muckverbUS /mʌk/
remove muck, clear away muck, as in a mine
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
nasturtiums
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
neighbornounUS /ˈneɪbər/
a person who lives (or is located) near another
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
NovembernounUS /noʊˈvembər/
the month following October and preceding December
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
overrunverbUS /ˈoʊvərrʌn/
invade in great numbers
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
pausingverbUS /ˈpɔːzɪŋ/
-ing form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
pensivelyadverb
in a pensive manner
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
a feeling of self-respect and personal worth
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
proverbnounUS /ˈprɑːvərb/
a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
resultsnounUS /rɪˈzʌlts/
plural of “result” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
sitting-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
sludgenounUS /slʌdʒ/
the precipitate produced by sewage treatment
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
stiffenedverbUS /ˈstɪfənd/
past form of “stiffen” — become stiff or stiffer
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
swollenadjectiveUS /ˈswoʊlən/
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
tavernsnounUS /ˈtævərnz/
plural of “tavern” — a building with a bar that is licensed to sell alcoholic drinks
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
in or at that place or location
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
There'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Be there ice in November that ’ill bear a duck, There’ll be nothing after but sludge and muck.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
precisely as stated
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
at the time that
From this reading I had been reading one bright morning to my father until he fell asleep, and was sitting on pensively with the book in my hand, when I became aware of a step mounting the stairs below and pausing at the sitting-room door.
plural of “wind” — air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The bellying winds of December were to drive up such clouds of rain and storm that every gully in the meadows was to join its neighbor in one common conspiracy against the land, and every stream to overrun its banks, swollen with the pride of hearing itself called a flood.
in the company of; together with
From this reading November had come, with early frosts that flattened the nasturtiums in the town gardens and stiffened belated bees on the Michaelmas daisies, that were the very taverns of nature to lure them from their decent homes.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading This year the complacent dogmatism of an ancient proverb was most amply justified by results:
