AdeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
birdsnounUS /bɜːrdz/
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
blackadjectiveUS /blæk/
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
BLOOD-REDadjective
of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
ButconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
callverbUS /kɔːl/
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
Cayster
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
cloudverbUS /klaʊd/
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
cranesnounUS /kreɪnz/
plural of “crane” — United States writer (1871-1900)
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
cryverbUS /kraɪ/
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
darknounUS /dɑːrk/
absence of light or illumination
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
darkenedadjectiveUS /ˈdɑːrkənd/
(of fabrics and paper) grown dark in color over time
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
ducksnounUS /dʌks/
plural of “duck” — small wild or domesticated web-footed broad-billed swimming bird usually having a depressed body and short legs
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
fightverbUS /faɪt/
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
filledadjectiveUS /fɪld/
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
flightnounUS /flaɪt/
a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
flownverbUS /floʊn/
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
flyingadjectiveUS /ˈflaɪɪŋ/
moving swiftly
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
foodnounUS /fuːd/
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
fowlnounUS /faʊl/
a domesticated gallinaceous bird thought to be descended from the red jungle fowl
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
handnounUS /hænd/
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
hardadjectiveUS /hɑːrd/
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
HepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
heavennounUS /ˈhevən/
any place of complete bliss and delight and peace
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
heavensnounUS /ˈhevənz/
the apparent surface of the imaginary sphere on which celestial bodies appear to be projected
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
highestadjectiveUS /ˈhaɪəst/
superlative of “high” — greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
homesnounUS /hoʊmz/
plural of “home” — where you live at a particular time
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
hournounUS /ˈaʊər/
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
innumerableadjectiveUS /ˌɪˈnuːmərəbəl/
too numerous to be counted
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
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 THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
loudadjectiveUS /laʊd/
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
marshnounUS /mɑːrʃ/
low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
massnounUS /mæs/
the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
murmurnounUS /ˈmɜːrmər/
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
noondaynoun
the middle of the day
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
nowadverbUS /naʊ/
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
risenadjectiveUS /ˈrɪzən/
(of e.g. celestial bodies) above the horizon
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
rushverbUS /rʌʃ/
move hurridly
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
saltnounUS /sɔːlt/
a compound formed by replacing hydrogen in an acid by a metal (or a radical that acts like a metal)
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
SEAnounUS /siː/
a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
seekverbUS /siːk/
try to get or reach
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
shipverbUS /ʃɪp/
transport commercially
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
shoneverbUS /ʃoʊn/
inflected form of “shine” — be bright by reflecting or casting light
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
skynounUS /skaɪ/
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
snowyadjectiveUS /ˈsnoʊi/
marked by the presence of snow
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
SouthnounUS /saʊθ/
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
steeredverbUS /stɪrd/
past form of “steer” — direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
suddenlyadverbUS /ˈsʌdənli/
happening unexpectedly
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
sunnounUS /sʌn/
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
swansnounUS /swɑːnz/
plural of “swan” — stately heavy-bodied aquatic bird with very long neck and usually white plumage as adult
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
thickadjectiveUS /θɪk/
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading So dark was the thick mass of flying fowl, that a flight of swans shone snowy against the black cloud of their wings.
tillernounUS /ˈtɪlər/
a shoot that sprouts from the base of a grass
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
tookverbUS /tʊk/
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
WanderernounUS /ˈwɑːndərər/
someone who leads a wandering unsettled life
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
wearyverbUS /ˈwɪri/
exhaust or get tired through overuse or great strain or stress
From this reading THE BLOOD-RED SEA A hard fight it had been and a long, and the Wanderer was weary.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He took the tiller of the ship in his hand, and steered for the South and for the noonday sun, which was now at his highest in the heavens.
whistlingnounUS /ˈwɪslɪŋ/
the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
wildadjectiveUS /waɪld/
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading It was as if all the birds that have their homes and seek their food in the great salt marsh of Cayster had risen from the South and had flown over sea in one hour, for the heaven was darkened with their flight, and loud with the call of cranes and the whistling cry of the wild ducks.
wingsnounUS /wɪŋz/
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
winnowingnounUS /ˈwɪnoʊɪŋ/
the act of separating grain from chaff
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading But suddenly the bright light of the sky was darkened and the air was filled with the rush, and the murmur, and the winnowing of innumerable wings.
