used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
accommodationnounUS /əˌkɑːməˈdeɪʃən/
making or becoming suitable; adjusting to circumstances
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
batteredadjectiveUS /ˈbætərd/
damaged by blows or hard usage
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
buffetingnounUS /bəˈfeɪɪŋ/
repeated heavy blows
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
centred
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
chubbyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃʌbi/
sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
clothing in general
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
cookee
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
derbynounUS /ˈdɜːrbi/
a felt hat that is round and hard with a narrow brim
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
separated into parts or pieces
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
dryingverbUS /ˈdraɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “dry” — remove the moisture from and make dry
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
duckingnounUS /ˈdʌkɪŋ/
hunting ducks
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
dugnounUS /dʌɡ/
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
firesnounUS /ˈfaɪərz/
plural of “fire” — the event of something burning (often destructive)
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
frameworknounUS /ˈfreɪmwɜːrk/
a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
marked by a lack of interest
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
injured-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
resulting from one's intentions
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
kettlesnounUS /ˈketəlz/
plural of “kettle” — a metal pot for stewing or boiling; usually has a lid
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
large or big relative to something else
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
held or filled or in use
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
overarched
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
pailsnounUS /peɪlz/
plural of “pail” — a roughly cylindrical vessel that is open at the top
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
potsnounUS /pɑːts/
plural of “pot” — metal or earthenware cooking vessel that is usually round and deep; often has a handle and lid
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
racksnounUS /ræks/
plural of “rack” — framework for holding objects
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
rectanglenounUS /ˈrektæŋɡəl/
a parallelogram with four right angles
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
rusticadjectiveUS /ˈrʌstɪk/
characteristic of rural life
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
saplingsnounUS /ˈsæplɪŋz/
plural of “sapling” — young tree
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
shallowadjectiveUS /ˈʃæloʊ/
lacking physical depth; having little spatial extension downward or inward from an outer surface or backward or outward from a center
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
a cloud of fine particles suspended in a gas
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading The other, and larger, fire centred a rectangle composed of tall racks, built of saplings and intended for the drying of clothes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
in or at that place or location
From this reading An injured-looking, chubby man in a battered brown derby hat moved here and there.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
trenchnounUS /trentʃ/
a ditch dug as a fortification having a parapet of the excavated earth
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
twistingnounUS /ˈtwɪstɪŋ/
the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
utensilsnounUS /juːˈtensəlz/
plural of “utensil” — an implement for practical use (especially in a household)
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The first of these fires occupied a shallow trench dug for its accommodation, and was overarched by a rustic framework from which hung several pails, kettles, and pots.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
woods-opening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the bank, and in a small woods-opening, burned two fires, their smoke ducking and twisting under the buffeting of the wind.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading He divided his time between the utensils and an indifferent youth--his “cookee.”
