used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
any person at all
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
inflected form of “awake” — stop sleeping
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
Bert's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
DadnounUS /dæd/
an informal term for a father; probably derived from baby talk
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
daybreaknounUS /ˈdeɪbreɪk/
the first light of day
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
dressingnounUS /ˈdresɪŋ/
savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
gracklesnounUS /ˈɡrækəlz/
plural of “grackle” — glossy black Asiatic starling often taught to mimic speech
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
HurriedlyadverbUS /ˈhɜːridli/
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
a small worthless amount
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
and nothing more
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
KIWInounUS /ˈkiːwi/
climbing vine native to China; cultivated in New Zealand for its fuzzy edible fruit with green meat
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
ontoprepositionUS /ˈɑːntuː/
moving to a position on a surface
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
a course of conduct
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
pinenounUS /paɪn/
a coniferous tree
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
planenounUS /pleɪn/
an aircraft that has a fixed wing and is powered by propellers or jets
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
racketnounUS /ˈrækɪt/
a loud and disturbing noise
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
robinsnounUS /ˈrɑːbənz/
plural of “robin” — small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he remembered that Dad and Jack had not come back in the plane.
tiptoedverbUS /ˈtɪptoʊd/
past form of “tiptoe” — walk on one's toes
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
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 robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
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 It was daybreak—light was just beginning to come in the window.
in the company of; together with
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Hurriedly dressing, he tiptoed down the stairs, opened the door onto the porch, and without disturbing anyone made his way down the path.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading KIWI awoke with a dread feeling that something was wrong.
a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride
From this reading The robins and the grackles were making a great racket in an old pine tree near a little lake in Bert’s yard.
