used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
anew
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
Allt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
apple-tart
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
the lower side of anything
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
brackennounUS /ˈbrækən/
fern of southeastern Asia; not hardy in cold temperate regions
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
a young person of either sex
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
cliffsnounUS /klɪfs/
plural of “cliff” — a steep high face of rock
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
a small house with a single story
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
denseadjectiveUS /dens/
permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
Gertrude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
a young female
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
gorsenoun
very spiny and dense evergreen shrub with fragrant golden-yellow flowers; common throughout western Europe
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
the vertical dimension of extension; distance from the base of something to the top
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
not accessible to view
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
hillsidenounUS /ˈhɪlsaɪd/
the side or slope of a hill
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
the land on which real estate is located
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
a narrow way or road
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
leadsnounUS /liːdz/
plural of “lead” — an advantage held by a competitor in a race
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
go away from a place
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
markingnounUS /ˈmɑːrkɪŋ/
a distinguishing symbol
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
marshyadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrʃi/
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
MorgannounUS /ˈmɔːrɡən/
United States anthropologist who studied the Seneca (1818-1881)
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading She never came back.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
orchidsnounUS /ˈɔːrkədz/
plural of “orchid” — any of numerous plants of the orchid family usually having flowers of unusual shapes and beautiful colors
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
outpostsnounUS /ˈaʊtpoʊsts/
plural of “outpost” — a station in a remote or sparsely populated location
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
a course of conduct
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
select carefully from a group
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
a purple color or pigment
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
one of four equal parts
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
raggedadjectiveUS /ˈræɡəd/
being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
reedsnounUS /riːdz/
plural of “reed” — tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
risesnounUS /ˈraɪzəz/
plural of “rise” — a growth in strength or number or importance
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
rushesnounUS /ˈrʌʃəz/
plural of “rush” — the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
plural of “stand” — a support or foundation
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
having a sharp inclination
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
swellsnounUS /swelz/
plural of “swell” — the undulating movement of the surface of the open sea
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
tangledadjectiveUS /ˈtæŋɡəld/
in a confused mass
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
tea-time
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
disclosing unintentionally something concealed
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
in or at that place or location
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
thicketsnounUS /ˈθɪkəts/
plural of “thicket” — a dense growth of bushes
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
undergrowthnounUS /ˈʌndərɡroʊθ/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
unevenadjectiveUS /əˈniːvən/
not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading Down through this broken and uneven ground a path leads to the lane at the bottom of the valley; then the land rises again and swells up to the cliffs over the sea, about a quarter of a mile away.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The little girl, Gertrude Morgan, asked her mother if she might go down to the lane and pick the purple flowers—these were orchids—that grew there, and her mother gave her leave, telling her she must be sure to be back by tea-time, as there was apple-tart for tea.
which person or people
From this reading The child who was lost came from a lonely cottage that stands on the slope of a steep hillside called the Allt, or the height.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees
From this reading The land about it is wild and ragged; here the growth of gorse and bracken, here a marshy hollow of reeds and rushes, marking the course of the stream from some hidden well, here thickets of dense and tangled undergrowth, the outposts of the wood.
