adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
afternoonnounUS /ˌæftərˈnuːn/
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
AlladjectiveUS /ɔːl/
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
andeterminerUS /æn/
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
asksverbUS /æsks/
third-person singular of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
beauxiliary verbUS /biː/
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
beastsnounUS /biːsts/
plural of “beast” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
birdnounUS /bɜːrd/
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
broodingnounUS /ˈbruːdɪŋ/
sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
brownnounUS /braʊn/
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
commonadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːmən/
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
crowdingnounUS /ˈkraʊdɪŋ/
a situation in which people or things are crowded together
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
dearadjectiveUS /dɪr/
dearly loved
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
doauxiliary verbUS /duː/
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
downadjectiveUS /daʊn/
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
dryadjectiveUS /draɪ/
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
dustyadjectiveUS /ˈdʌsti/
covered with a layer of dust
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
dutynounUS /ˈduːti/
the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
dwellersnounUS /ˈdwelərz/
plural of “dweller” — a person who inhabits a particular place
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
eucalyptusnounUS /ˌjuːkəˈlɪptəs/
wood of any of various eucalyptus trees valued as timber
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
faintadjectiveUS /feɪnt/
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
flowernounUS /ˈflaʊər/
a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
ForprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
frameverbUS /freɪm/
enclose in or as if in a frame
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
frameworknounUS /ˈfreɪmwɜːrk/
a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
fuchsiasnounUS /ˈfjuːʃəz/
plural of “fuchsia” — any of various tropical shrubs widely cultivated for their showy drooping purplish or reddish or white flowers; Central and South America and New Zealand and Tahiti
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
fulfillsverbUS /fʊlˈfɪlz/
third-person singular of “fulfill” — put in effect
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
gaveverbUS /ɡeɪv/
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
heartsnounUS /hɑːrts/
a form of whist in which players avoid winning tricks containing hearts or the queen of spades
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
heavyadjectiveUS /ˈhevi/
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
heliotropenounUS /ˈhiːliətroʊp/
green chalcedony with red spots that resemble blood
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
housenounUS /haʊs/
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
housesnounUS /ˈhaʊsəz/
plural of “house” — a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
hungverbUS /hʌŋ/
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
inprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
ineffectualadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəˈfektʃuːəl/
not producing an intended effect
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
ItpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
kindadjectiveUS /kaɪnd/
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
kitchennounUS /ˈkɪtʃən/
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
leanverbUS /liːn/
to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
leavesnounUS /liːvz/
plural of “leaf” — the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
lightadjectiveUS /laɪt/
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
likeverbUS /laɪk/
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
mechanicaladjectiveUS /məˈkænɪkəl/
using (or as if using) mechanisms or tools or devices
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
metallicadjectiveUS /məˈtælɪk/
containing or made of or resembling or characteristic of a metal
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
mustmodal verbUS /mʌst/
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
nasturtiums
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
northeasternadjectiveUS /ˌnɔːrˈθiːstərn/
situated in or oriented toward the northeast
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
onlyadverbUS /ˈoʊnli/
and nothing more
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
OrconjunctionUS /ɔːr/
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
parentnounUS /ˈperənt/
a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
prickedverbUS /prɪkt/
past form of “prick” — make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
RampantadjectiveUS /ˈræmpənt/
unrestrained and violent
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
ranverbUS /ræn/
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
red-jewelled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
regularadjectiveUS /ˈreɡjələr/
in accordance with fixed order or procedure or principle
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
rosesnounUS /ˈroʊzɪz/
plural of “rose” — any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
rownounUS /roʊ/
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
rustled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
seeverbUS /siː/
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
shadenounUS /ʃeɪd/
relative darkness caused by light rays being intercepted by an opaque body
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
she-bear
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
silencenounUS /ˈsaɪ.ləns/
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
slowlyadverbUS /ˈsloʊli/
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
smalladjectiveUS /smɔːl/
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
squeaknounUS /skwiːk/
a short high-pitched noise
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
statesnounUS /steɪts/
plural of “state” — the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
stiffadjectiveUS /stɪf/
not moving or operating freely
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
stiff-rayed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
stoodverbUS /stʊd/
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
stragglingadjective
spreading out in different directions or distributed irregularly
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
talladjectiveUS /tɔːl/
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
tasknounUS /tæsk/
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
ThedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
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 Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
thosedeterminerUS /ðoʊz/
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
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 Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
trueadjectiveUS /truː/
consistent with fact or reality; not false
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
turningnounUS /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/
the act of changing or reversing the direction of the course
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
upadjectiveUS /ʌp/
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
upsidenounUS /ˈʌpˈsaɪd/
the highest or uppermost side of anything
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
WepronounUS /wiː/
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading The brooding bird fulfills her task, Or she-bear lean and brown; All parent beasts see duty true, All parent beasts their duty do, We are the only kind that asks For duty upside down.
wearingly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
whichpronounUS /wɪtʃ/
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of their dwellers.
windnounUS /waɪnd/
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
windmillnounUS /ˈwɪndmɪl/
a mill that is powered by the wind
From this reading The stiff-rayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly.
windowsnounUS /ˈwɪndoʊz/
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the house.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading Rampant fuchsias, red-jewelled, heavy, ran up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums.
