absurdlyadverbUS /əbˈsɜːrdli/
in an absurd manner or to an absurd degree
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
anglenounUS /ˈæŋɡəl/
the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
barbsnounUS /bɑːrbz/
plural of “barb” — an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect
From this reading The high down-pointing cones were barbs, closely embedded in sky.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The sky seemed stabbed by the javelin trees.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading The high down-pointing cones were barbs, closely embedded in sky.
columnsnounUS /ˈkɑːləmz/
plural of “column” — a line of units following one after another
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
conesnounUS /koʊnz/
plural of “cone” — any cone-shaped artifact
From this reading The high down-pointing cones were barbs, closely embedded in sky.
down-pointing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The high down-pointing cones were barbs, closely embedded in sky.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
embeddedadjectiveUS /emˈbedɪd/
enclosed firmly in a surrounding mass
From this reading The high down-pointing cones were barbs, closely embedded in sky.
an opposing military force
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
ephemeraladjectiveUS /ɪˈfemərəl/
lasting a very short time
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
fluted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
only a very short time before
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading The high down-pointing cones were barbs, closely embedded in sky.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The high down-pointing cones were barbs, closely embedded in sky.
inevitablyadverbUS /ˌɪˈnevətəbli/
in such a manner as could not be otherwise
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
javelinnounUS /ˈdʒævələn/
an athletic competition in which a javelin is thrown as far as possible
From this reading The sky seemed stabbed by the javelin trees.
javelins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
leaptverbUS /lept/
inflected form of “leap” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The sky seemed stabbed by the javelin trees.
shaftsnounUS /ʃæfts/
plural of “shaft” — a line that forms the length of an arrow pointer
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The sky seemed stabbed by the javelin trees.
slantingadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
slopedadjective
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
stabbedverbUS /stæbd/
inflected form of “stab” — use a knife on
From this reading The sky seemed stabbed by the javelin trees.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
stripedadjectiveUS /straɪpt/
marked or decorated with stripes
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
the rays of the sun
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The sunlight stood in fluted slanting columns hardly more ephemeral than the trees.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Their eyes leapt absurdly and inevitably up the shafts of the trees.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The high down-pointing cones were barbs, closely embedded in sky.
at the time that
From this reading When the striped earth sloped the trees sprang at one angle from the slope like javelins thrown against one enemy, the sun.
