Chapter II · The Coming of the Hoar Frost

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

any of various chiefly fall-blooming herbs of the genus Aster with showy daisylike flowers

From this reading Where hides the wood aster?

a signal transmitted along a narrow path; guides airplane pilots in darkness or bad weather

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

make a high-pitched, screeching noise

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

plural of “cricket” — leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

become weaker

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

having finished or arrived at completion

From this reading Pray what have you done to the flowers?

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

to a considerable degree; very much

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

bringing death

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

being satisfactory or in satisfactory condition

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms

From this reading Pray what have you done to the flowers?

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

shoot down, of birds

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading Pray what have you done to the flowers?

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

plural of “hide” — the dressed skin of an animal (especially a large animal)

From this reading Where hides the wood aster?

devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

a small worthless amount

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

immediately past

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

a particular point in time

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

near in time or place or relationship

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

touching and supported by a surface

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

address a deity, a prophet, a saint or an object of worship; say a prayer

From this reading Pray what have you done to the flowers?

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

(of something seen or heard) clearly defined

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

that is looked for

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

shining with brilliant points of light like stars

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

a long pointed rod used as a tool or weapon

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

inflected form of “stab” — use a knife on

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading —Thaxter.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Pray what have you done to the flowers?

having come into contact

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

having passed out of existence

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

used to ask for information about something

From this reading Pray what have you done to the flowers?

in or at the place that

From this reading Where hides the wood aster?

a means of flight or ascent

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

in the company of; together with

From this reading “Rustily creak the crickets; Jack Frost came down last night— He came on the wings of a star beam, Cool and sparkling and bright; He sought in the grass for the crickets With delicate icy spear, So sharp and so fine and so fatal, And he stabbed them far and near.

the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees

From this reading Where hides the wood aster?

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading She vanished as snow wreathes dissolve in the sun The moment you touched her.”

the person or people being spoken to

From this reading Pray what have you done to the flowers?