used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
backbonenounUS /ˈbækboʊn/
a central cohesive source of support and stability
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
bitsnounUS /bɪts/
plural of “bit” — a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading The great hickories had covered it with leaves.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
depressionnounUS /dɪˈpreʃən/
a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
brought together in one place
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
soft and mild; not harsh or stern or severe
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The great hickories had covered it with leaves.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
hickoriesnounUS /ˈhɪkəriz/
plural of “hickory” — valuable tough heavy hardwood from various hickory trees
From this reading The great hickories had covered it with leaves.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading The great hickories had covered it with leaves.
for more time
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
mossnounUS /mɔːs/
tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
on one occasion
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
and nothing more
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
packedadjectiveUS /pækt/
extremely crowed or filled to capacity
From this reading The rain had packed it.
a course of conduct
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The rain had packed it.
removeverbUS /riˈmuːv/
remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
past form of “succeed” — attain success or reach a desired goal
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
in or at that place or location
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
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 There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
twigsnounUS /twɪɡz/
plural of “twig” — a small branch or division of a branch (especially a terminal division); usually applied to branches of the current or preceding year
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
undertakenverbUS /ˈʌndərteɪkən/
inflected form of “undertake” — enter upon an activity or enterprise
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There was no longer a path, only an open way between the trees running down the gentle slope of the ridge to the mountain road.
wildernessnounUS /ˈwɪldərnəs/
(politics) a state of disfavor
From this reading |THERE had once been a path along the backbone of the mountain, but the wilderness had undertaken to remove it, and had almost succeeded.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The wind had gathered bits of moss, twigs and dead stuff into the slight depression.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The great hickories had covered it with leaves.
