adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
acornnounUS /ˈeɪkɔːrn/
fruit of the oak tree: a smooth thin-walled nut in a woody cup-shaped base
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
airnounUS /er/
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
almostadverbUS /ˈɔːlmoʊst/
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
appearedverbUS /əˈpɪrd/
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
bearingnounUS /ˈberɪŋ/
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
breakfastverbUS /ˈbrekfəst/
eat an early morning meal
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
brownnounUS /braʊn/
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
carefuladjectiveUS /ˈkerfəl/
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
Casterbridge
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
collectedadjectiveUS /kəˈlektəd/
brought together in one place
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
companynounUS /ˈkʌmpəniː/
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
crossedadjectiveUS /krɔːst/
placed crosswise
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
cupnounUS /kʌp/
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
daynounUS /deɪ/
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
directionnounUS /dərˈekʃən/
a line leading to a place or point
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
drippingsnoun
fat that exudes from meat and drips off while it is being roasted or fried
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
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 SECOND THOUGHTS The next morning the vicar rose early.
eatingnounUS /ˈiːtɪŋ/
the act of consuming food
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
fallingadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːlɪŋ/
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
fencesnounUS /ˈfensəz/
plural of “fence” — a barrier that serves to enclose an area
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
foggyadjectiveUS /ˈfɑːɡi/
stunned or confused and slow to react (as from blows or drunkenness or exhaustion)
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
foldsnounUS /foʊldz/
plural of “fold” — an angular or rounded shape made by folding
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
foot-post
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
friendnounUS /frend/
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
fromprepositionUS /frʌm/
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
greennounUS /ɡriːn/
green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
hepronounUS /hiː/
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
huenounUS /hjuː/
the quality of a color as determined by its dominant wavelength
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
hungverbUS /hʌŋ/
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
leavesnounUS /liːvz/
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
leftnounUS /left/
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
letternounUS /ˈletər/
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
littleadjectiveUS /ˈlɪtəl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
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 first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
lossnounUS /lɔːs/
something that is lost
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
meadowsnounUS /ˈmedoʊz/
plural of “meadow” — a field where grass or alfalfa are grown to be made into hay
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
meadsnounUS /miːdz/
plural of “mead” — United States anthropologist noted for her claims about adolescence and sexual behavior in Polynesian cultures (1901-1978)
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
mightmodal verbUS /maɪt/
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
moisturenounUS /ˈmɔɪstʃər/
wetness caused by water
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
morningnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading SECOND THOUGHTS The next morning the vicar rose early.
nextadjectiveUS /nekst/
immediately following in time or order
From this reading SECOND THOUGHTS The next morning the vicar rose early.
noisyadjectiveUS /ˈnɔɪzi/
full of or characterized by loud and nonmusical sounds
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
obviateverbUS /ˈɑːbvieɪt/
do away with
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
occasionallyadverbUS /əˈkeɪʒənəli/
sporadically and infrequently
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
officenounUS /ˈɔːfɪs/
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
opaqueadjectiveUS /oʊˈpeɪk/
not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy; impenetrable to sight
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
pocketnounUS /ˈpɑːkət/
a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
postverbUS /poʊst/
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
resultedverbUS /rɪˈzʌltɪd/
past form of “result” — issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
rosenounUS /roʊz/
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading SECOND THOUGHTS The next morning the vicar rose early.
SECONDnounUS /ˈsekənd/
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading SECOND THOUGHTS The next morning the vicar rose early.
shedverbUS /ʃed/
get rid of
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
sheetsnounUS /ʃiːts/
plural of “sheet” — any broad thin expanse or surface
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
spidersnounUS /ˈspaɪdərz/
plural of “spider” — predatory arachnid with eight legs, two poison fangs, two feelers, and usually two silk-spinning organs at the back end of the body; they spin silk to make cocoons for eggs or traps for prey
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading SECOND THOUGHTS The next morning the vicar rose early.
ThenadverbUS /ðen/
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
theypronounUS /ðeɪ/
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
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 It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
thingnounUS /θɪŋ/
a special situation
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
THOUGHTSnounUS /θɔːts/
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading SECOND THOUGHTS The next morning the vicar rose early.
throughprepositionUS /θruː/
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
townnounUS /taʊn/
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
transmissionnounUS /trænˈsmɪʃən/
the act of sending a message; causing a message to be transmitted
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
treesnounUS /triːz/
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 It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
varietynounUS /vərˈaɪəti/
a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
vicarnounUS /ˈvɪkər/
a Roman Catholic priest who acts for another higher-ranking clergyman
From this reading SECOND THOUGHTS The next morning the vicar rose early.
villagenounUS /ˈvɪlədʒ/
a community of people smaller than a town
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
water-drops
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
webnounUS /web/
an intricate network suggesting something that was formed by weaving or interweaving
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
wetadjectiveUS /wet/
covered or soaked with a liquid such as water
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was a foggy morning, and the trees shed in noisy water-drops the moisture they had collected from the thick air, an acorn occasionally falling from its cup to the ground, in company with the drippings.
wouldmodal verbUS /wʊd/
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Then, eating a little breakfast, he crossed the meadows in the direction of Casterbridge, bearing his letter in his pocket, that he might post it at the town office, and obviate the loss of one day in its transmission that would have resulted had he left it for the foot-post through the village.
writeverbUS /raɪt/
produce a literary work
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
yellowadjectiveUS /ˈjeloʊ/
of the color intermediate between green and orange in the color spectrum; of something resembling the color of an egg yolk
From this reading In the meads, sheets of spiders’-web, almost opaque with wet, hung in folds over the fences, and the falling leaves appeared in every variety of brown, green, and yellow hue.
YorkshirenounUS /ˈjɔːrkʃər/
a former large county in northern England; in 1974 it was divided into three smaller counties
From this reading The first thing he did was to write a long and careful letter to his friend in Yorkshire.
