adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
absorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
advance-guard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
autumnnounUS /ˈɔːtəm/
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
betweenprepositionUS /bɪˈtwiːn/
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
builtadjectiveUS /bɪlt/
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
campnounUS /kæmp/
temporary living quarters specially built by the army for soldiers
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
castverbUS /kæst/
put or send forth
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
comeverbUS /kʌm/
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
continentnounUS /ˈkɑːntənənt/
one of the large landmasses of the earth
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
cunninglyadverb
in an attractive manner
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
dankadjectiveUS /dæŋk/
unpleasantly cool and humid
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
darknounUS /dɑːrk/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
daysnounUS /deɪz/
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
facenounUS /feɪs/
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
fireverbUS /ˈfaɪər/
start firing a weapon
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
fulladjectiveUS /fʊl/
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
furnacenounUS /ˈfɜːrnəs/
an enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
glownounUS /ɡloʊ/
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
goldnounUS /ɡoʊld/
coins made of gold
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
greyadjectiveUS /ɡreɪ/
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
grownadjectiveUS /ɡroʊn/
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
homesnounUS /hoʊmz/
plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
hundredsnounUS /ˈhʌndrədz/
plural of “hundred” — ten 10s
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
KentuckynounUS /kənˈtʌki/
a state in east central United States; a border state during the American Civil War; famous for breeding race horses
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/
set down according to a plan
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
laurelsnounUS /ˈlɔːrəlz/
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
layverbUS /leɪ/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
leadenadjectiveUS /ˈledən/
darkened with overcast
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
limestonenounUS /ˈlaɪmstoʊn/
a sedimentary rock consisting mainly of calcium that was deposited by the remains of marine animals
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
lostadjectiveUS /lɔːst/
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
mennounUS /men/
the force of workers available
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
milesnounUS /maɪlz/
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
moonnounUS /muːn/
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
moonlightnounUS /ˈmuːnlaɪt/
the light of the Moon
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
muffledadjectiveUS /ˈmʌfəld/
being or made softer or less loud or clear
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
OctobernounUS /ɑːkˈtoʊbər/
the month following September and preceding November
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
overhangnounUS /ˈoʊvərhæŋ/
projection that extends beyond or hangs over something else
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
pastnounUS /pæst/
the time that has elapsed
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
pathlessadjective
lacking pathways
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
queeradjectiveUS /kwɪr/
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
rainnounUS /reɪn/
water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
rocknounUS /rɑːk/
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
seenverbUS /siːn/
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
shiftedverbUS /ˈʃɪftɪd/
past form of “shift” — make a shift in or exchange of
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
sidenounUS /saɪd/
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
signnounUS /saɪn/
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
skynounUS /skaɪ/
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
smellsnounUS /smelz/
plural of “smell” — the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
smokenounUS /smoʊk/
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
soconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
sweetadjectiveUS /swiːt/
having or denoting the characteristic taste of sugar
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
ThenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
thereadverbUS /ðer/
in or at that place or location
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
thicketnounUS /ˈθɪkɪt/
a dense growth of bushes
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
thoughconjunctionUS /ðoʊ/
in spite of the fact that
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
twonounUS /tuː/
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
unchartedadjectiveUS /ənˈtʃɑːrtɪd/
(of unknown regions) not yet surveyed or investigated
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
valesnounUS /veɪlz/
plural of “vale” — a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
venturenounUS /ˈventʃər/
any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fire was so cunningly laid that only on one side did it cast a glow, and there the light was absorbed by a dark thicket of laurels.
whereconjunctionUS /wer/
in or at the place that
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
windnounUS /waɪnd/
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Then the wind had suddenly shifted, the sky had grown leaden, and in a queer dank chill the advance-guard of winter had appeared--that winter which to men with hundreds of pathless miles between them and their homes was like a venture into an uncharted continent.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading That morning the Kentucky vales, as seen from the ridge where the camp lay, had been like a furnace with the gold and scarlet of autumn, and the air had been heavy with sweet October smells.
worldnounUS /wɜːrld/
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading But, though the moon was only two days past the full, there was no sign of it, for the rain had come and the world was muffled in it.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading It was built under an overhang of limestone so that the smoke in the moonlight would be lost against the grey face of the rock.
