andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
axesnounUS /ˈæksɪz/
plural of “ax” — an edge tool with a heavy bladed head mounted across a handle
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
bentnounUS /bent/
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
brothersnounUS /ˈbrʌðərz/
plural of “brother” — a male with the same parents as someone else
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
cattlenounUS /ˈkætəl/
domesticated bovine animals as a group regardless of sex or age
From this reading The cattle required no herding.
chiefnounUS /tʃiːf/
a person who is in charge
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
concernnounUS /kənˈsɜːrn/
something that interests you because it is important or affects you
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
coververbUS /ˈkʌvər/
provide with a covering or cause to be covered
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
creeknounUS /kriːk/
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
endnounUS /end/
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
energynounUS /ˈenərdʒi/
(physics) a thermodynamic quantity equivalent to the capacity of a physical system to do work; the units of energy are joules or ergs
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
forcedadjectiveUS /fɔːrst/
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
FORTnounUS /fɔːrt/
a fortified military post where troops are stationed
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
graspverbUS /ɡræsp/
hold firmly
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
grazingnounUS /ˈɡreɪzɪŋ/
the act of grazing
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
groundnounUS /ɡraʊnd/
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
herdingverbUS /ˈhɜːrdɪŋ/
-ing form of “herd” — cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading The cattle required no herding.
hillsnounUS /hɪlz/
plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
HOLDINGnounUS /ˈhoʊldɪŋ/
the act of retaining something
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
icenounUS /aɪs/
water frozen in the solid state
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
layverbUS /leɪ/
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
moreadjectiveUS /mɔːr/
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading The cattle required no herding.
notadverbUS /nɑːt/
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
OnprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
openverbUS /ˈoʊ.pən/
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
openingnounUS /ˈoʊpənɪŋ/
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
rangenounUS /reɪndʒ/
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
requiredadjectiveUS /riˈkwaɪərd/
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading The cattle required no herding.
slopesnounUS /sloʊps/
plural of “slope” — an elevated geological formation
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
snownounUS /snoʊ/
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
sunnounUS /sʌn/
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
sunnyadjectiveUS /ˈsʌni/
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The chief concern of the brothers was to open more grazing ground, and to that end every energy was bent.
THEdeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
timenounUS /taɪm/
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
usenounUS /juːs/
the act of using
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
valleynounUS /ˈvæli/
a long depression in the surface of the land that usually contains a river
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On the hills and sunny slopes, the range was slowly opening to the sun.
waynounUS /weɪ/
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
winternounUS /ˈwɪntər/
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading HOLDING THE FORT The valley lay in the grasp of winter.
yieldingadjectiveUS /ˈjiːldɪŋ/
inclined to yield to argument or influence or control
From this reading The creek, under cover of ice and snow, forced its way, only yielding to axes for the time being and closing over when not in use.
