used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
in a state of sleep
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
Aynsley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
actively or fully engaged or occupied
From this reading The glare tired him, but his mind was busy and he was tormented by doubts.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The glare tired him, but his mind was busy and he was tormented by doubts.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
checkeredadjectiveUS /ˈtʃekərd/
patterned with alternating squares of color
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
couchnounUS /kaʊtʃ/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
doubtsnounUS /daʊts/
plural of “doubt” — the state of being unsure of something
From this reading The glare tired him, but his mind was busy and he was tormented by doubts.
drowsyadjectiveUS /ˈdraʊzi/
half asleep
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
expansenounUS /ɪkˈspæns/
a wide scope
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
opinion or judgment
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading The glare tired him, but his mind was busy and he was tormented by doubts.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
hammocknounUS /ˈhæmək/
a small natural hill
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The glare tired him, but his mind was busy and he was tormented by doubts.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
languidadjectiveUS /ˈlæŋɡwəd/
lacking spirit or liveliness
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
lawnnounUS /lɔːn/
a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading The glare tired him, but his mind was busy and he was tormented by doubts.
not any; not one
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
Osborne'snounUS /ˈɔːzbɔːrnz/
possessive form of “osborne” — English playwright (1929-1994)
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
patchnounUS /pætʃ/
a small contrasting part of something
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
pinesnounUS /paɪnz/
plural of “pine” — a coniferous tree
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
recoveringadjectiveUS /rəˈkʌvərɪŋ/
returning to health after illness or debility
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
ripplesnounUS /ˈrɪpəlz/
plural of “ripple” — a small wave on the surface of a liquid
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
only a very short time before
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
scentnounUS /sɛnt/
A distinctive smell or aroma.
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
splashverbUS /splæʃ/
cause (a liquid) to spatter about, especially with force
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
tiredadjectiveUS /ˈtaɪərd/
depleted of strength or energy
From this reading The glare tired him, but his mind was busy and he was tormented by doubts.
tormentedadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːrmentɪd/
experiencing intense pain especially mental pain
From this reading The glare tired him, but his mind was busy and he was tormented by doubts.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Bright sunshine fell upon the grass, and the drowsy stillness was scarcely broken by the splash of ripples on the beach.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The scent of the pines was heavy in the languid air.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His face was thin, and his eyes were half closed, though he was by no means asleep.
in or at the place that
From this reading Aynsley, now fast recovering, lay in a couch hammock where a patch of shadow checkered the smooth expanse of Osborne’s lawn.
