used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
for the reason that
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
complainingadjectiveUS /kəmˈpleɪnɪŋ/
expressing pain or dissatisfaction of resentment
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
utter a sudden loud cry
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
curlewnoun
large migratory shorebirds of the sandpiper family; closely related to woodcocks but having a down-curved bill
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
fignounUS /fɪɡ/
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
flatsnounUS /flæts/
footwear (shoes or slippers) with no heel (or a very low heel)
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
moving swiftly
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
foxesnounUS /ˈfɑːksəz/
plural of “fox” — alert carnivorous mammal with pointed muzzle and ears and a bushy tail; most are predators that do not hunt in packs
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
hootnounUS /huːt/
a loud raucous cry (as of an owl)
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
mournfullyadverb
in a mournful manner
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
owlnounUS /aʊl/
nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
Pagdin
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
pathosnounUS /ˈpeɪθɑːs/
a quality that arouses emotions (especially pity or sorrow)
From this reading Away off on the flats the curlew called, wild pathos in his cry.
scrubverbUS /skrʌb/
clean with hard rubbing
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
shudderverbUS /ˈʃʌdər/
shake, as from cold
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
spinenounUS /spaɪn/
the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
squealed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
TAMARINDnoun
long-lived tropical evergreen tree with a spreading crown and feathery evergreen foliage and fragrant flowers yielding hard yellowish wood and long pods with edible chocolate-colored acidic pulp
From this reading UNDER THE TAMARIND TREE.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading UNDER THE TAMARIND TREE.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
male cat
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
Tom'snounUS /tɑːmz/
possessive form of “tom” — male cat
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading UNDER THE TAMARIND TREE.
plural of “tree” — a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
UNDERprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading UNDER THE TAMARIND TREE.
unluckyadjectiveUS /ənˈlʌki/
having or bringing misfortune
From this reading The hollow hoot of the owl sent a shudder down Tom’s spine, because it was unlucky to hear an owl in the dark of the moon.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was very dark in the scrub, and the new moon had set.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading The flying foxes squealed in the wild fig trees, and Tom Pagdin, sitting under the tamarind heard a night owl complaining mournfully.
