adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
approachverbUS /əˈproʊtʃ/
move towards
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
autumnnounUS /ˈɔːtəm/
the season when the leaves fall from the trees
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
carpetsnounUS /ˈkɑːrpəts/
plural of “carpet” — floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
chalk-lines
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
clearverbUS /klɪr/
rid of obstructions
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
consistedverbUS /kənˈsɪstəd/
past form of “consist” — originate
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
coveredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌvərd/
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
crackledverbUS /ˈkrækəld/
past form of “crackle” — make a crackling sound
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
duringprepositionUS /ˈdʊrɪŋ/
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
eatenverbUS /ˈiːtən/
inflected form of “eat” — take in solid food
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
feetnounUS /fiːt/
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
feltverbUS /felt/
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
forestsnounUS /ˈfɔːrəsts/
plural of “forest” — the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
fournounUS /fɔːr/
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
heatnounUS /hiːt/
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
hillsidenounUS /ˈhɪlsaɪd/
the side or slope of a hill
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
hoaryadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːri/
showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
icenounUS /aɪs/
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
inclinedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈklaɪnd/
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
lackedverbUS /lækt/
past form of “lack” — be without
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
laidadjectiveUS /leɪd/
set down according to a plan
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
lednounUS /led/
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
logverbUS /lɔːɡ/
enter into a log, as on ships and planes
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
longadjectiveUS /lɔːŋ/
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
markedadjectiveUS /mɑːrkt/
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
meltverbUS /melt/
reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
mossnounUS /mɔːs/
tiny leafy-stemmed flowerless plants
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
nearadverbUS /nɪr/
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
necessaryadjectiveUS /ˈnesəseri/
absolutely essential
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
nightnounUS /naɪt/
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
northernadjectiveUS /ˈnɔːrðərn/
in or characteristic of a region of the United States north of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
pairnounUS /per/
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
paleadjectiveUS /peɪl/
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
parallelnounUS /ˈperəlel/
something having the property of being analogous to something else
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
plainlyadverbUS /ˈpleɪnli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
poolsnounUS /puːlz/
plural of “pool” — an excavation that is (usually) filled with water
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
postsnounUS /poʊsts/
plural of “post” — the position where someone (as a guard or sentry) stands or is assigned to stand
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
RestingverbUS /ˈrestɪŋ/
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
riggedadjectiveUS /rɪɡd/
fitted or equipped with necessary rigging (sails and shrouds and stays etc)
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
saw-pit
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
scaffoldnounUS /ˈskæfəld/
a platform from which criminals are executed (hanged or beheaded)
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
severaladjectiveUS /ˈsevrəl/
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
sillsnounUS /sɪlz/
United States operatic soprano (born in 1929)
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
sixnounUS /sɪks/
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
sizableadjectiveUS /ˈsaɪzəbəl/
fairly large in size
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
skidsnounUS /skɪdz/
plural of “skid” — one of a pair of planks used to make a track for rolling or sliding objects
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
skinnounUS /skɪn/
a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
slopingadjectiveUS /ˈsloʊpɪŋ/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
sprucenounUS /spruːs/
light soft moderately strong wood of spruce trees; used especially for timbers and millwork
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
squaredadjectiveUS /skwerd/
having been made square
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
stagnantadjectiveUS /ˈstæɡnənt/
not circulating or flowing
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
stilladjectiveUS /stɪl/
not in physical motion
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
stringersnounUS /ˈstrɪŋərz/
plural of “stringer” — a member of a squad on a team
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
sunnounUS /sʌn/
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
underfootadverbUS /ˌʌndərˈfʊt/
under the feet
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
unmistakableadjectiveUS /ˌʌnmɪˈsteɪkəbəl/
clearly evident to the mind
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading A saw-pit had been rigged upon a sloping hillside--it consisted of four posts about six feet long upon which had been laid four stringers, like the sills of a house; up to this scaffold led a pair of inclined skids.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was a still, clear morning, but autumn was in the air and a pale sun lacked the necessary heat to melt a skin of ice which, during the night, had covered stagnant pools.
whip-saw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Resting upon the stringers was a sizable spruce log which had been squared and marked with parallel chalk-lines and into which a whip-saw had eaten for several feet.
WinternounUS /ˈwɪntər/
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading Winter was near and its unmistakable approach could be plainly felt.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading The damp moss which carpets northern forests was hoary with frost and it crackled underfoot.
