used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading But their brilliance was past, and they were fading slowly before the dawn.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading The dawn was just beginning to break.
next to; at the side of
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
terminate
From this reading The dawn was just beginning to break.
brilliancenounUS /ˈbrɪljəns/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading But their brilliance was past, and they were fading slowly before the dawn.
bunk-house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But their brilliance was past, and they were fading slowly before the dawn.
cloudlessadjectiveUS /ˈklaʊdləs/
free from clouds
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
the first light of day
From this reading The dawn was just beginning to break.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
fadingnounUS /ˈfeɪdɪŋ/
weakening in force or intensity
From this reading But their brilliance was past, and they were fading slowly before the dawn.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
and nothing more
From this reading The dawn was just beginning to break.
abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
a particular point in time
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The stars were still shining to the west, and south, and north.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading But their brilliance was past, and they were fading slowly before the dawn.
shelteredadjectiveUS /ˈʃeltərd/
protected from danger or bad weather
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
marked by exceptional merit
From this reading The stars were still shining to the west, and south, and north.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading But their brilliance was past, and they were fading slowly before the dawn.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The stars were still shining to the west, and south, and north.
spreadingnounUS /ˈspredɪŋ/
process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
squattingnounUS /ˈskwɑːtɪŋ/
exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading The stars were still shining to the west, and south, and north.
not in physical motion
From this reading The stars were still shining to the west, and south, and north.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But their brilliance was past, and they were fading slowly before the dawn.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But their brilliance was past, and they were fading slowly before the dawn.
tingenounUS /tɪndʒ/
a slight but appreciable amount
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The dawn was just beginning to break.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The stars were still shining to the west, and south, and north.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading The stars were still shining to the west, and south, and north.
a late time of life
From this reading The Moment Lightning was squatting on a box beside the doorway of the bunk-house that had sheltered him for years.
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading A low, yellow tinge was spreading over the eastern horizon, and the sky was cloudless.
