used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A thin mantle of spotless white covered the earth.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The snow had ceased to fall; the air was still and cold.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
tried unsuccessfully
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
completely unclothed
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading The snow had ceased to fall; the air was still and cold.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
rid of obstructions
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
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 The snow had ceased to fall; the air was still and cold.
an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself and your situation
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading A thin mantle of spotless white covered the earth.
DouglasnounUS /ˈdʌɡləs/
United States politician who proposed that individual territories be allowed to decide whether they would have slavery; he engaged in a famous series of debates with Abraham Lincoln (1813-1861)
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
From this reading A thin mantle of spotless white covered the earth.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading The snow had ceased to fall; the air was still and cold.
filesnounUS /faɪlz/
plural of “file” — a set of related records (either written or electronic) kept together
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
ghostlyadjectiveUS /ˈɡoʊstli/
resembling or characteristic of a phantom
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The snow had ceased to fall; the air was still and cold.
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
mantlenounUS /ˈmæntəl/
the cloak as a symbol of authority
From this reading A thin mantle of spotless white covered the earth.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A thin mantle of spotless white covered the earth.
a symptom of some physical hurt or disorder
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
regainedverbUS /riˈɡeɪnd/
past form of “regain” — get or find back; recover the use of
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
precisely, exactly
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
RossnounUS /rɑːs/
Scottish explorer who led Arctic expeditions that yielded geographic discoveries while searching for the Northwest Passage (1777-1856)
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The snow had ceased to fall; the air was still and cold.
plural of “soldier” — an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
spotlessadjectiveUS /ˈspɑːtləs/
completely neat and clean
From this reading A thin mantle of spotless white covered the earth.
squadsnounUS /skwɑːdz/
plural of “squad” — a smallest army unit
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
starlitadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrlɪt/
lighted only by stars
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
not in physical motion
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading A thin mantle of spotless white covered the earth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The snow had ceased to fall; the air was still and cold.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
trunksnounUS /trʌŋks/
(used in the plural) trousers that end at or above the knee
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading In the uncertain light, the bare tree trunks looked like files and squads of ghostly soldiers.
past form of “warn” — notify of danger, potential harm, or risk
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
at the time that
From this reading When Ross Douglas regained consciousness, it was still night; but the heavens were clear and starlit.
a Caucasian
From this reading A thin mantle of spotless white covered the earth.
people who are wounded
From this reading The wounded man attempted to change his position, but the pain in his right breast warned him to lie still.
