used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
canterverbUS /ˈkæntər/
ride at a canter
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
clatteringverbUS /ˈklætərɪŋ/
-ing form of “clatter” — make a rattling sound
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
cleaningnounUS /ˈkliːnɪŋ/
the act of making something clean
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
cockedverbUS /kɑːkt/
past form of “cock” — tilt or slant to one side
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
DotnounUS /dɑːt/
a very small circular shape
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
droppingadjectiveUS /ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/
coming down freely under the influence of gravity
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
endedadjectiveUS /ˈendəd/
having come or been brought to a conclusion
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
eyebrowsnounUS /ˈaɪbraʊz/
plural of “eyebrow” — the arch of hair above each eye
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
FLETCHERnounUS /ˈfletʃər/
prolific English dramatist who collaborated with Francis Beaumont and many other dramatists (1579-1625)
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
past form of “glance” — throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
growlnounUS /ɡraʊl/
the sound of growling (as made by animals)
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
hoofsnounUS /hʊfs/
plural of “hoof” — the foot of an ungulate mammal
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
past form of “jump” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
held up in the air
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
pasturesnounUS /ˈpæstʃərz/
plural of “pasture” — a field covered with grass or herbage and suitable for grazing by livestock
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
with speed
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
RobinnounUS /ˈrɑːbən/
small Old World songbird with a reddish breast
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
saucepannounUS /ˈsɔːspæn/
a deep pan with a handle; used for stewing or boiling
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
plural of “stone” — a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
in or at that place or location
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
thudverbUS /θʌd/
make a dull sound
From this reading Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
thuddingadjective
not clear and resonant; sounding as if striking with or against something relatively soft
From this reading FLETCHER HILL There came a sound of hoofs thudding over the pastures.
tightenedverbUS /ˈtaɪtənd/
past form of “tighten” — make tight or tighter
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
trotverbUS /trɑːt/
run at a moderately swift pace
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading The hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Dot barely glanced up from the saucepan she was cleaning; her lips tightened a little, that was all.
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 Through the open window Dot heard the heavy thud of a man's feet as he jumped to the ground.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Robin lifted his eyebrows and cocked his ears with a growl.
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 hoofs drew rapidly nearer, dropping from a canter to a quick trot that ended in a clattering walk on the stones of the yard.
