used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
aquiver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
AspennounUS /ˈæspən/
any of several trees of the genus Populus having leaves on flattened stalks so that they flutter in the lightest wind
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
bathedverbUS /beɪðd/
past form of “bathe” — cleanse the entire body
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
brown-red
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
butterfliesnounUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪz/
plural of “butterfly” — diurnal insect typically having a slender body with knobbed antennae and broad colorful wings
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
crumpledadjectiveUS /ˈkrʌmpəld/
of metal e.g.
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
Donald
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
driftedverbUS /ˈdrɪftəd/
past form of “drift” — be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
elmsnounUS /elmz/
plural of “elm” — any of various trees of the genus Ulmus: important timber or shade trees
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
frothnounUS /frɔːθ/
a mass of small bubbles formed in or on a liquid
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
coins made of gold
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
heapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
jaynounUS /dʒeɪ/
United States diplomat and jurist who negotiated peace treaties with Britain and served as the first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court (1745-1829)
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
luminousadjectiveUS /ˈluːmənəs/
softly bright or radiant
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
milkweednounUS /ˈmɪlkwiːd/
any of numerous plants of the genus Asclepias having milky juice and pods that split open releasing seeds with downy tufts
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
an uneasy psychological state
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
richestadjectiveUS /ˈrɪtʃəst/
superlative of “rich” — possessing material wealth
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
past form of “sail” — traverse or travel on (a body of water)
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
screamverbUS /skriːm/
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
silkenadjectiveUS /ˈsɪlkən/
having a smooth, gleaming surface reflecting light
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
the rays of the sun
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Over them sailed the froth from the silken milkweed; over them drifted the big brown-red butterflies, luminous as richest autumn leaves.
in or at that place or location
From this reading As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
German conductor (1876-1962)
From this reading Before he answered, the scream of a blue jay in the elms outside set my nerves aquiver, and I called for Donald and Walter.
at the time that
From this reading When I spoke to him first I spoke in the French language.
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 As I lay there I could see the Aspen hills from the window, heaps of crumpled gold bathed in sunshine.
XIXnoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of eighteen and one
From this reading XIX.
