used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
traveling across
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
the event of dying or departure from life
From this reading In the night the wind had gone down, and it was as still as death in the morning.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading In the night the wind had gone down, and it was as still as death in the morning.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
enginesnounUS /ˈendʒənz/
plural of “engine” — motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
be a farmer; work as a farmer
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
frostnounUS /frɔːst/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
destroyed or killed
From this reading In the night the wind had gone down, and it was as still as death in the morning.
GRANDMAnounUS /ˈɡrændmɑː/
the mother of your father or mother
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
a collection of objects laid on top of each other
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
advanced in complexity or elaboration
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
hoarnounUS /hɔːr/
ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
and nothing more
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
plural of “mile” — a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading In the night the wind had gone down, and it was as still as death in the morning.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
a brief written record
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
prairiesnounUS /ˈpreɪriz/
plural of “prairie” — a treeless grassy plain
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
rawadjectiveUS /rɑː/
(used especially of commodities) being unprocessed or manufactured using only simple or minimal processes
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
slantedadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪd/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
southeastnounUS /ˌsaʊˈθiːst/
the compass point midway between south and east; at 135 degrees
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
spearnounUS /spɪr/
a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
not in physical motion
From this reading In the night the wind had gone down, and it was as still as death in the morning.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
successive (without a break)
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
THORNDYKE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
two times
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
twigverbUS /twɪɡ/
branch out in a twiglike manner
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
the atmospheric conditions that comprise the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature and wind and clouds and precipitation
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
weednounUS /wiːd/
any plant that crowds out cultivated plants
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
at the time that
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading JUST AS GRANDMA THORNDYKE EXPECTED I was surprised next morning to note the change which had taken place in the weather.
whistlesnounUS /ˈwɪsəlz/
plural of “whistle” — the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
From this reading For the first time in my life, and it has happened but twice since, I heard the whistles of the engines on the railroad twelve miles away to the north.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
windrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was a little beard of hoar frost along the side of every spear of grass and weed; which, as the sun rose higher, dropped off and lay under every twig and bent, in a little heap if it stood up straight, or in a windrow if it slanted; for so still was the air that the frost went straight down, and lay as it fell.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It had been cold and raw when I was crossing the prairies to my farm, with the wind in the southeast, and filled with a bitter chill.
