used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
AprilnounUS /ˈeɪprəl/
the month following March and preceding May
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
blackly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
brooknounUS /brʊk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
budsnounUS /bʌdz/
plural of “bud” — a partially opened flower
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
burstingverbUS /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/
-ing form of “burst” — come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
crouchedverbUS /kraʊtʃt/
past form of “crouch” — bend one's back forward from the waist on down
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
disknounUS /dɪsk/
something with a round shape resembling a flat circular plate
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
fantasticadjectiveUS /fænˈtæstɪk/
ludicrously odd
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
frogsnounUS /frɑːɡz/
plural of “frog” — any of various tailless stout-bodied amphibians with long hind limbs for leaping; semiaquatic and terrestrial species
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
full-fed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
gauntadjectiveUS /ɡɔːnt/
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading The Little People of the Sycamore I.
indeterminateadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈtɜːrmɪnɪt/
not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
limbnounUS /lɪm/
one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The Little People of the Sycamore I.
marshyadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːrʃi/
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
moon-washed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Little People of the Sycamore I.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading The Little People of the Sycamore I.
pipingnounUS /ˈpaɪpɪŋ/
a thin strip of covered cord used to edge hems
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
poignantadjectiveUS /ˈpɔɪnjənt/
arousing affect
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
raccoonnounUS /ræˈkuːn/
the fur of the North American racoon
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
rushingnounUS /ˈrʌʃɪŋ/
(American football) an attempt to advance the ball by running into the line
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
scannedverbUS /skænd/
inflected form of “scan” — examine minutely or intensely
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
silhouettedverbUS /ˌsɪləˈwetɪd/
past form of “silhouette” — project on a background, such as a screen, like a silhouette
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
sniffedverbUS /snɪft/
past form of “sniff” — perceive by inhaling through the nose
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
with low volume
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
spacesnounUS /ˈspeɪsəz/
plural of “space” — the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
spotsnounUS /spɑːts/
spots before the eyes caused by opaque cell fragments in the vitreous humor and lens
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
the season of growth
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
having a supporting base
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
swollenadjectiveUS /ˈswoʊlən/
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
SycamorenounUS /ˈsɪkəmɔːr/
variably colored and sometimes variegated hard tough elastic wood of a sycamore tree
From this reading The Little People of the Sycamore I.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Little People of the Sycamore I.
push forcefully
From this reading The fantastic old sycamore, standing alone on the hill, thrust out its one gaunt limb across the face of the moon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading From the marshy spots at the foot of the hill, over toward the full-fed, softly rushing brook, came the high piping of the frogs, a voice of poignant, indeterminate desire.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
which person or people
From this reading On the middle of the limb, blackly silhouetted against the golden disk, crouched a raccoon, who sniffed the spring air and scanned the moon-washed spaces.
but in spite of that
From this reading It was late April, and the buds not yet swollen to bursting.
