used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Mounting snowdrifts were driven against every obstruction.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
axenounUS /æks/
an edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
bluffsnounUS /blʌfs/
plural of “bluff” — a high steep bank (usually formed by river erosion)
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
clipnounUS /klɪp/
a metal frame or container holding cartridges; can be inserted into an automatic gun
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
coyotesnounUS /kaɪˈoʊtis/
plural of “coyote” — small wolf native to western North America
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
crystalnounUS /ˈkrɪstəl/
a solid formed by the solidification of a chemical and having a highly regular atomic structure
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
douradjectiveUS /ˈdaʊər/
stubbornly unyielding
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
compelled forcibly by an outside agency
From this reading Mounting snowdrifts were driven against every obstruction.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading Mounting snowdrifts were driven against every obstruction.
to or in any or all places
From this reading A foot and more of snow lay everywhere in the open.
farmer'snounUS /ˈfɑːrmərz/
possessive form of “farmer” — a person who operates a farm
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading A foot and more of snow lay everywhere in the open.
foothillsnounUS /ˈfʊthɪlz/
plural of “foothill” — a relatively low hill on the lower slope of a mountain
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
harbourverbUS /ˈhɑːrbər/
secretly shelter (as of fugitives or criminals)
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
hauntedadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːntɪd/
having or showing excessive or compulsive concern with something
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
become quiet or still; fall silent
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A foot and more of snow lay everywhere in the open.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
ladenadjectiveUS /ˈleɪdən/
filled with a great quantity
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading A foot and more of snow lay everywhere in the open.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading A foot and more of snow lay everywhere in the open.
MountingnounUS /ˈmaʊntɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading Mounting snowdrifts were driven against every obstruction.
muffleverbUS /ˈmʌfəl/
suppress in order to conceal or hide
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
obstructionnounUS /əbˈstrʌkʃən/
any structure that makes progress difficult
From this reading Mounting snowdrifts were driven against every obstruction.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
and nothing more
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading A foot and more of snow lay everywhere in the open.
pinenounUS /paɪn/
a coniferous tree
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
rhythmicadjectiveUS /ˈrɪðmɪk/
recurring with measured regularity
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
roofingnounUS /ˈruːfɪŋ/
material used to construct a roof
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading A foot and more of snow lay everywhere in the open.
snowdrifts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mounting snowdrifts were driven against every obstruction.
(sports) the act of swinging or striking at a ball with a club or racket or bat or cue or hand
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
in every part of a place, or for the whole of a period
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
transformverbUS /trænˈsfɔːrm/
subject to a mathematical transformation
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
unchangingadjectiveUS /ənˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
conforming to the same principles or course of action over time
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
undisturbedadjectiveUS /ˌʌndɪˈstɜːrbd/
untroubled by interference or disturbance
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mounting snowdrifts were driven against every obstruction.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
whitenessnounUS /ˈwaɪtnəs/
the quality or state of the achromatic color of greatest lightness (bearing the least resemblance to black)
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
wolvesnounUS /wʊlvz/
plural of “wolf” — any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading A Stroke of Fate The hush of the woods was undisturbed by the rhythmic clip of the farmer’s axe.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading The cloak of winter seemed to muffle the whole world, and transform it into a dour desolation, fit only to harbour the timber wolves and the coyotes which haunted the foothills.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The pine bluffs were laden with a roofing of crystal whiteness, and the greater hills had become a world of snow, which would remain unchanging throughout the winter.
