used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
(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 The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
completely unclothed
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading It had taken even the birds by surprise.
plural of “branch” — a division of some larger or more complex organization
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
canopynounUS /ˈkæn.ə.pi/
An overhead roof or structure, such as the high vaulted ceiling of an ancient library.
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
chillyadjectiveUS /ˈtʃɪli/
not characterized by emotion
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
clear-cutadjectiveUS /ˈklɪrkʌt/
clearly or sharply defined to the mind
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Overnight the frost had come.
conesnounUS /koʊnz/
plural of “cone” — any cone-shaped artifact
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
coverletnoun
a decorative bedspread (usually quilted)
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
dappledadjective
having spots or patches of color
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
divisible by two
From this reading It had taken even the birds by surprise.
feel or handle with the fingers
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
firsnounUS /fɜːrz/
plural of “fir” — nonresinous wood of a fir tree
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
plural of “garden” — a plot of ground where plants are cultivated
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/
rock fragments and pebbles
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
Harkings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
icyadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsi/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
INTERRUPTIONnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had taken even the birds by surprise.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
set down according to a plan
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
lawnsnounUS /lɔːnz/
plural of “lawn” — a field of cultivated and mowed grass
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
OvernightadverbUS /ˈoʊvərˈnaɪt/
during or for the length of one night
From this reading Overnight the frost had come.
patchesnounUS /ˈpætʃəz/
plural of “patch” — a small contrasting part of something
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
pergolasnounUS /ˌpɜːrˈɡoʊləz/
plural of “pergola” — a framework that supports climbing plants
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
pinchedadjectiveUS /pɪntʃt/
sounding as if the nose were pinched
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
rosery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
except for; apart from
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
silhouetteverbUS /ˌsɪləˈwet/
project on a background, such as a screen, like a silhouette
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
skeletonnounUS /ˈskelətən/
something reduced to its minimal form
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading It had taken even the birds by surprise.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading It had taken even the birds by surprise.
thawedadjectiveUS /θɔːd/
no longer frozen solid
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading AN INTERRUPTION FROM BEYOND Sudden frost had laid an icy finger on the gardens of Harkings.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
walksnounUS /wɔːks/
plural of “walk” — the act of traveling by foot
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
warmedadjectiveUS /wɔːrmd/
having been warmed up
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
in or at the place that
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
a Caucasian
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
woollyadjectiveUS /ˈwʊli/
having a fluffy character or appearance
From this reading The gravel walks were firm and dry; and in the rosery the bare skeleton of the pergolas stood out in clear-cut silhouette against a white and woolly sky.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading The smooth green lawns were all dappled with white and wore a pinched and chilly look save under the big and solemn firs where the ground, warmed by its canopy of branches and coverlet of cones, had thawed in dark patches.
