used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
in actual fact
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
bee-yard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
beesnounUS /biːz/
plural of “bee” — any of numerous hairy-bodied insects including social and solitary species
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
circlingverbUS /ˈsɜːrkəlɪŋ/
-ing form of “circle” — travel around something
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
rid of obstructions
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
make overcast or cloudy
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
crawlingnounUS /ˈkrɔːlɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
debrisnounUS /dəˈbriː/
the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
disordernounUS /dɪˈsɔːrdər/
a physical condition in which there is a disturbance of normal functioning
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
excitedlyadverbUS /ɪkˈsaɪtədli/
with excitement; in an excited manner
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
frontsnounUS /frʌnts/
plural of “front” — the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
not accessible to view
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
hivenounUS /haɪv/
a teeming multitude
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
hivesnounUS /haɪvz/
an itchy skin eruption characterized by weals with pale interiors and well-defined red margins; usually the result of an allergic response to insect bites or food or drugs
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
hoveredverbUS /ˈhʌvərd/
past form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
massesnounUS /ˈmæsəz/
the common people generally
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One hive near him was actually almost hidden by the cloud that hovered about it.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
in a serious manner
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
fastener consisting of a narrow strip of welded metal used to join steel members
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
surgingadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrdʒɪŋ/
characterized by great swelling waves or surges
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
swarmnounUS /swɔːrm/
a moving crowd
From this reading It looked as if a swarm was coming out, but Bob knew better.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
up to a particular time
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
timbernounUS /ˈtɪmbər/
the wood of trees cut and prepared for use as building material
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
the waging of armed conflict against an enemy
From this reading STOPPING A WAR Bob hurried through the debris of dead timber till he got a clear view of the bee-yard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
a Caucasian
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The air was full of circling bees, and the white fronts of most of the hives were brown with masses of bees, crawling and surging excitedly.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading It was plain enough that something was seriously wrong, for the whole place was in a state of wild disorder.
