adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
affirmednounUS /əˈfɜːrmd/
thoroughbred that won the triple crown in 1978
From this reading “I love it,” Saxon affirmed.
ain't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Say, ain't it swell?”
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
beesnounUS /biːz/
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
BillynounUS /ˈbɪli/
a short stout club used primarily by policemen
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
byprepositionUS /baɪ/
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
CanyonnounUS /ˈkænjən/
a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
circledverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəld/
past form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
climbedverbUS /klaɪmd/
past form of “climb” — go upward with gradual or continuous progress
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
ContranounUS /ˈkɑːntrə/
a member of the guerrilla force that opposed a left-wing government in Nicaragua
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
CostanounUS /ˈkɔːstɑː/
a riblike part of a plant or animal (such as a middle rib of a leaf or a thickened vein of an insect wing)
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
countrynounUS /ˈkʌntri/
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading “It makes me want to live in the country, and I never have.”
descendedverbUS /dɪˈsendəd/
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
divideverbUS /dɪˈvaɪd/
separate into parts or portions
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
frequentlyadverbUS /ˈfriːkwəntli/
many times at short intervals
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
gradenounUS /ɡreɪd/
a body of students who are taught together
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
greennounUS /ɡriːn/
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
handnounUS /hænd/
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “It makes me want to live in the country, and I never have.”
hillsnounUS /hɪlz/
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
horsesnounUS /ˈhɔːrsəz/
plural of “horse” — solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
humverbUS /hʌm/
sing with closed lips
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
IpronounUS /aɪ/
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I love it,” Saxon affirmed.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “It makes me want to live in the country, and I never have.”
indicatingverbUS /ˈɪndəkeɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “indicate” — be a signal for or a symptom of
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “Say, ain't it swell?”
lathered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
liveverbUS /laɪv/
be an inhabitant of or reside in
From this reading “It makes me want to live in the country, and I never have.”
lovenounUS /lʌv/
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading “I love it,” Saxon affirmed.
makesnounUS /meɪks/
plural of “make” — a recognizable kind
From this reading “It makes me want to live in the country, and I never have.”
mepronounUS /miː/
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “It makes me want to live in the country, and I never have.”
Moraga
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
neveradverbUS /ˈnevər/
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading “It makes me want to live in the country, and I never have.”
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
queriedverbUS /ˈkwɪrid/
inflected form of “query” — pose a question
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
RedwoodnounUS /ˈredwʊd/
the soft reddish wood of either of two species of sequoia trees
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
restingverbUS /ˈrestɪŋ/
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
roadnounUS /roʊd/
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
SaxonnounUS /ˈsæksən/
a member of a Germanic people who conquered England and merged with the Angles and Jutes to become Anglo-Saxons; dominant in England until the Norman Conquest
From this reading “I love it,” Saxon affirmed.
SayverbUS /seɪ/
express in words
From this reading “Say, ain't it swell?”
sharplyadverbUS /ˈʃɑːrpli/
in an aggressive manner
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
steepadjectiveUS /stiːp/
having a sharp inclination
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
stillnessnounUS /ˈstɪlnəs/
(poetic) tranquil silence
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
summernounUS /ˈsʌmər/
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
swellverbUS /swel/
increase in size, magnitude, number, or intensity
From this reading “Say, ain't it swell?”
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
tree-groups
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
trickleverbUS /ˈtrɪkəl/
run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
unseenadjectiveUS /ənˈsiːn/
not seen or perceived
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
ValleynounUS /ˈvæli/
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
wantverbUS /wɑːnt/
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading “It makes me want to live in the country, and I never have.”
waternounUS /ˈwɔːtər/
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
wavenounUS /weɪv/
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Billy queried, with a wave of his hand indicating the circled tree-groups, the trickle of unseen water, and the summer hum of bees.
workverbUS /wɜːrk/
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading The horses, resting frequently and lathered by the work, had climbed the steep grade of the old road to Moraga Valley, and on the divide of the Contra Costa hills the way descended sharply through the green and sunny stillness of Redwood Canyon.
