used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
ascendedverbUS /əˈsendɪd/
past form of “ascend” — travel up
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
aspensnounUS /ˈæspənz/
plural of “aspen” — any of several trees of the genus Populus having leaves on flattened stalks so that they flutter in the lightest wind
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
carsnounUS /kɑːrz/
plural of “car” — a motor vehicle with four wheels; usually propelled by an internal combustion engine
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
chillyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪli/
not characterized by emotion
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
cloudedadjectiveUS /ˈklaʊdɪd/
made troubled or apprehensive or distressed in appearance
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
dimlyadverbUS /ˈdɪmli/
in a dim indistinct manner
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
dusknounUS /dʌsk/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
lying toward or situated in the east
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
eerieadjectiveUS /ˈɪri/
suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
faintlyadverbUS /ˈfeɪntli/
to a faint degree or weakly perceived
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
fearsomeadjectiveUS /ˈfɪrsəm/
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
grovenounUS /ɡroʊv/
a small growth of trees without underbrush
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
half-way
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
hintsnounUS /hɪnts/
plural of “hint” — an indirect suggestion
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
immediately past
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
impressiveness in scale or proportion
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
mansionnounUS /ˈmænʃən/
(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
menacinglyadverbUS /ˈmenəsɪŋli/
in a menacing manner
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
mid-Julynoun
the middle part of July
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
MontgomerynounUS /mɑːntˈɡʌmri/
Canadian novelist (1874-1942)
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
motornounUS /ˈmoʊtər/
machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
and nothing more
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
outlinedadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtlaɪnd/
showing clearly the outline or profile or boundary
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
precisely, exactly
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
rustlingnounUS /ˈrʌslɪŋ/
the stealing of cattle
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
sentinelnounUS /ˈsentənəl/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
shiveringnounUS /ˈʃɪvərɪŋ/
a sensation of cold that often marks the start of an infection and the development of a fever
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
soughingadjective
characterized by soft sounds
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
stretchverbUS /stretʃ/
occupy a large, elongated area
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
sullenadjectiveUS /ˈsʌlən/
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading Then the road lay through a thick grove of aspens, close, black and shivering as they stood, sentinel like and fearsome, only dimly outlined against the dark, clouded sky.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
topmostadjective
at or nearest to the top
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
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 To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
underbrushnounUS /ˈʌndərbrʌʃ/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The sun set early behind the Green Mountains and the house, half-way up an eastern slope, appeared faintly through the shadows.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
past form of “wave” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Though mid-July, it was a chilly dusk through which the two motor cars ascended the last stretch of mountain road toward the old Montgomery mansion.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Beneath them a tangled underbrush gave forth faint, rustling hints of some wild life or suddenly ceased to a grim stillness.
in the company of; together with
From this reading To the right, tall forest trees waved their topmost branches with an eerie, soughing sound, or stood, menacingly silent, in black, sullen majesty.
