used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
boundarynounUS /ˈbaʊn.də.ri/
A line that marks the limits of an area.
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
set up or found
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
gloomilyadverbUS /ˈɡluːməli/
with gloom
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
Gordonia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
greetingnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋ/
(usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
heraldverbUS /ˈherəld/
foreshadow or presage
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
homingadjectiveUS /ˈhoʊmɪŋ/
orienting or directing homeward or to a destination
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
come together
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
needn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
information about recent and important events
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
ParadisenounUS /ˈperədaɪs/
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
pikenounUS /paɪk/
a broad highway designed for high-speed traffic
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
plantverbUS /plænt/
put or set (seeds, seedlings, or plants) into the ground
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
proclaimverbUS /proʊˈkleɪm/
declare formally; declare someone to be something; of titles
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
quittingverbUS /ˈkwɪtɪŋ/
inflected form of “quit” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
rushingnounUS /ˈrʌʃɪŋ/
(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running into the line
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
express in words
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
a male human offspring
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
not in physical motion
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
male cat
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
create by training and teaching
From this reading The homing train, rushing around the boundary hills of Paradise, set him down at Gordonia late in the afternoon.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading Though it still wanted half an hour of quitting time, the big plant was silent and deserted.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
at the time that
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was no one at the station to meet him, but there was bad news in the air which needed no herald to proclaim it.
Woodlawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Tom walked out the pike and found his father smoking gloomily on the Woodlawn porch.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "You needn't say it, son," was his low greeting, when Tom had flung himself into a chair.
