used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
alders
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
(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 CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
for the reason that
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
bewilderedadjectiveUS /bɪˈwɪldərd/
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
borderedadjectiveUS /ˈbɔːrdərd/
having a border especially of a specified kind; sometimes used as a combining term
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
of surpassing excellence
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
changingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
marked by continuous change or effective action
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
CLEFTnounUS /kleft/
a split or indentation in something (as the palate or chin)
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
desolationnounUS /ˌdesəˈleɪʃən/
the state of being decayed or destroyed
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
enlightenmentnounUS /ˌenˈlaɪtənmənt/
education that results in understanding and the spread of knowledge
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
the organ of sight
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
opinion or judgment
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
glimmered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
destroyed or killed
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
Kayak's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
(superlative of “near” or “close”) within the shortest distance
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
not any; not one
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
noticeableadjectiveUS /ˈnoʊtəsəbəl/
capable or worthy of being noticed
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
porchnounUS /pɔːrtʃ/
a structure attached to the exterior of a building often forming a covered entrance
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
RibnounUS /rɪb/
support resembling the rib of an animal
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
screennounUS /skriːn/
a white or silvered surface where pictures can be projected for viewing
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
sickeningadjectiveUS /ˈsɪkənɪŋ/
causing or able to cause nausea
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
SkeletonnounUS /ˈskelətən/
something reduced to its minimal form
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
socketnounUS /ˈsɑːkət/
a bony hollow into which a structure fits
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
sparkleverbUS /ˈspɑːrkəl/
reflect brightly
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
the rays of the sun
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The bewildered look on Kayak's face was slowly changing to one of enlightenment.
having edges that are jagged from injury
From this reading It had the sickening effect of an empty socket from which the eye has been torn.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
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 There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
vague-reddish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading There was no friendly sparkle of water this morning, and gone were the trees that bordered the shore nearest the beach.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
in or at the place that
From this reading THE CLEFT On the porch all eyes were turned toward the south where the silver of the little lake off Skeleton Rib had always glimmered through its screen of alders.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Instead, a strange desolation, more noticeable because of the brilliant sunshine, hung over the spot, which now showed a vague-reddish brown in the distance.
