used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Cold and weariness were forgotten.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading Sagging hinges and rusted bolt gave before the attack.
bankedverbUS /bæŋkt/
past form of “bank” — tip laterally
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Sagging hinges and rusted bolt gave before the attack.
boltnounUS /boʊlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading Sagging hinges and rusted bolt gave before the attack.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
lacking funds
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/
-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
chargingverbUS /ˈtʃɑːrdʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “charge” — to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
clearingnounUS /ˈklɪrɪŋ/
a tract of land with few or no trees in the middle of a wooded area
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading Cold and weariness were forgotten.
having gaps or spaces
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
driftsnounUS /drɪfts/
plural of “drift” — a force that moves something along
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
enemy'snounUS /ˈenəmiz/
possessive form of “enemy” — an opposing military force
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading Cold and weariness were forgotten.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Sagging hinges and rusted bolt gave before the attack.
hingesnounUS /ˈhɪndʒɪz/
plural of “hinge” — a joint that holds two parts together so that one can swing relative to the other
From this reading Sagging hinges and rusted bolt gave before the attack.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
hurlingnounUS /ˈhɜːrlɪŋ/
a traditional Irish game resembling hockey; played by two teams of 15 players each
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
rail-fence
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
ruinsnounUS /ˈruːənz/
plural of “ruin” — an irrecoverable state of devastation and destruction
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
done under pressure
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
rustedadjectiveUS /ˈrʌstɪd/
having accumulated rust
From this reading Sagging hinges and rusted bolt gave before the attack.
SaggingadjectiveUS /ˈsæɡɪŋ/
hanging down (as from exhaustion or weakness)
From this reading Sagging hinges and rusted bolt gave before the attack.
sillsnounUS /sɪlz/
United States operatic soprano (born in 1929)
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
strongholdnounUS /ˈstrɔːŋhoʊld/
a strongly fortified defensive structure
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
thicketsnounUS /ˈθɪkəts/
plural of “thicket” — a dense growth of bushes
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading They dashed through drifts; they broke through thickets; they swung themselves over the ruins of an ancient rail-fence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
soldiers collectively
From this reading Down the slope rushed the boys like charging troops bursting into an enemy’s stronghold.
wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading Cold and weariness were forgotten.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Cold and weariness were forgotten.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading Then they were in a clearing, and hurling themselves at the door of a little house, against which the snow lay banked to the window sills.
