used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
lacking funds
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
closenessnounUS /ˈkloʊsnɪs/
a feeling of being intimate and belonging together
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
a small house with a single story
From this reading There was much to do yet in the rifled cottage.
dampadjectiveUS /dæmp/
slightly wet
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
the time during which someone's life continues
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
depressingadjectiveUS /dɪˈpresɪŋ/
causing sad feelings of gloom and inadequacy
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading There was much to do yet in the rifled cottage.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
graynessnoun
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
harnessverbUS /ˈhɑːrnəs/
put a harness
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
heavy-eyed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mariposa rose to it wan and heavy-eyed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Mariposa rose to it wan and heavy-eyed.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
MACCABEES
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading --MACCABEES.
MariposanounUS /ˌmærɪˈpoʊsə/
any of several plants of the genus Calochortus having tulip-shaped flowers with 3 sepals and 3 petals; southwestern United States and Mexico
From this reading Mariposa rose to it wan and heavy-eyed.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading There was much to do yet in the rifled cottage.
Nicanor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
overcastnounUS /ˈoʊvərkæst/
the state of the sky when it is covered by clouds
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
rainsnounUS /reɪnz/
plural of “rain” — water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
rifledadjectiveUS /ˈraɪfəld/
of a firearm; having rifling or internal spiral grooves inside the barrel
From this reading There was much to do yet in the rifled cottage.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Mariposa rose to it wan and heavy-eyed.
sagverbUS /sæɡ/
droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
skiesnounUS /skaɪz/
plural of “sky” — the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
yielding readily to pressure or weight
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
not in physical motion
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE PALE HORSE “Nicanor lay dead in his harness.”
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was much to do yet in the rifled cottage.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
usherverbUS /ˈʌʃər/
take (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
wanadjectiveUS /wɑːn/
(of light) lacking in intensity or brightness; dim or feeble
From this reading Mariposa rose to it wan and heavy-eyed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was much to do yet in the rifled cottage.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
at the time that
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The day broke overcast and damp, one of those depressing days of still, soft grayness that usher in the early rains, when the air has a heavy closeness and the skies seem to sag with the weight of moisture that is slow to fall.
but in spite of that
From this reading There was much to do yet in the rifled cottage.
