used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading “An owl,” I said, under my breath.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was natural, and relieved the tension of the mind.
Bagley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Y--es, Colonel,” said Bagley, his teeth chattering.
the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading “An owl,” I said, under my breath.
lacking funds
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
broodingnounUS /ˈbruːdɪŋ/
sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
chatteringnounUS /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/
the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
From this reading “Y--es, Colonel,” said Bagley, his teeth chattering.
being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
circlesnounUS /ˈsɜːrkəlz/
plural of “circle” — ellipse in which the two axes are of equal length; a plane curve generated by one point moving at a constant distance from a fixed point
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
a commissioned military officer in the United States Army or Air Force or Marines who ranks above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general
From this reading “Y--es, Colonel,” said Bagley, his teeth chattering.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
esnounUS /es/
a radioactive transuranic element produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons
From this reading “Y--es, Colonel,” said Bagley, his teeth chattering.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading “Y--es, Colonel,” said Bagley, his teeth chattering.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “An owl,” I said, under my breath.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading It was natural, and relieved the tension of the mind.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “An owl,” I said, under my breath.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading It was natural, and relieved the tension of the mind.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
owlnounUS /aʊl/
nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes
From this reading “An owl,” I said, under my breath.
(of pain or sorrow) made easier to bear
From this reading It was natural, and relieved the tension of the mind.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “An owl,” I said, under my breath.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
not in physical motion
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading “Y--es, Colonel,” said Bagley, his teeth chattering.
tensionnounUS /ˈtenʃən/
(psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
From this reading It was natural, and relieved the tension of the mind.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading “An owl,” I said, under my breath.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was natural, and relieved the tension of the mind.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading This sound, which is not a cheerful one, made me almost gay.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
wideningnounUS /ˈwaɪdənɪŋ/
an increase in width
From this reading We stood still about five minutes, while it broke into the still brooding of the air, the sound widening out in circles, dying upon the darkness.
YnounUS /waɪ/
a silvery metallic element that is common in rare-earth minerals; used in magnesium and aluminum alloys
From this reading “Y--es, Colonel,” said Bagley, his teeth chattering.
