used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
adobenounUS /əˈdoʊbi/
the clay from which adobe bricks are made
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
(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 Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
in addition
From this reading There were also some colored posters and prints from weekly papers.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
banjonounUS /ˈbændʒoʊ/
a stringed instrument of the guitar family that has long neck and circular body
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
beltsnounUS /belts/
plural of “belt” — endless loop of flexible material between two rotating shafts or pulleys
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
cartridgesnounUS /ˈkɑːrtrədʒəz/
plural of “cartridge” — ammunition consisting of a cylindrical casing containing an explosive charge and a bullet; fired from a rifle or handgun
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
catsnounUS /kæts/
plural of “cat” — feline mammal usually having thick soft fur and no ability to roar: domestic cats; wildcats
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
coloredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərd/
having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination
From this reading There were also some colored posters and prints from weekly papers.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
cottonwoodnounUS /ˈkɑːtənwʊd/
any of several North American trees of the genus Populus having a tuft of cottony hairs on the seed
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
coyotesnounUS /kaɪˈoʊtis/
plural of “coyote” — small wolf native to western North America
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
deernounUS /dɪr/
distinguished from Bovidae by the male's having solid deciduous antlers
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
diningnounUS /ˈdaɪnɪŋ/
the act of eating dinner
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
eaglenounUS /ˈiːɡəl/
any of various large keen-sighted diurnal birds of prey noted for their broad wings and strong soaring flight
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
EmersonnounUS /ˈemərsən/
United States writer and leading exponent of transcendentalism (1803-1882)
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
flat-roofed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
flowingnounUS /ˈfloʊɪŋ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
set up or found
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
plural of “gun” — a weapon that discharges a missile at high velocity (especially from a metal tube or barrel)
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
plural of “head” — the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
hillsidenounUS /ˈhɪlsaɪd/
the side or slope of a hill
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
hornsnounUS /hɔːrnz/
plural of “horn” — a noisemaker (as at parties or games) that makes a loud noise when you blow through it
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
housekeepernounUS /ˈhaʊskiːpər/
a servant who is employed to perform domestic task in a household
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
inflected form of “hang” — be suspended or hanging
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
LasnounUS /lɑːs/
plural of “la” — a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
MeadnounUS /miːd/
United States anthropologist noted for her claims about adolescence and sexual behavior in Polynesian cultures (1901-1978)
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
Mead'snounUS /miːdz/
possessive form of “mead” — United States anthropologist noted for her claims about adolescence and sexual behavior in Polynesian cultures (1901-1978)
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading There were also some colored posters and prints from weekly papers.
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
patternsnounUS /ˈpætərnz/
plural of “pattern” — a perceptual structure
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
Plumas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
postersnounUS /ˈpoʊstərz/
plural of “poster” — a sign posted in a public place as an advertisement
From this reading There were also some colored posters and prints from weekly papers.
printsnounUS /prɪnts/
plural of “print” — the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
From this reading There were also some colored posters and prints from weekly papers.
ranchnounUS /ræntʃ/
farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
rattlesnakesnounUS /ˈrætəlsneɪks/
plural of “rattlesnake” — pit viper with horny segments at the end of the tail that rattle when shaken
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
revolversnounUS /rɪˈvɑːlvərz/
plural of “revolver” — a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
rillnounUS /rɪl/
a small stream
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
round-facedadjective
having a round face
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
skinsnounUS /skɪnz/
plural of “skin” — a natural protective body covering and site of the sense of touch
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
sprawledverbUS /sprɔːld/
past form of “sprawl” — sit or lie with one's limbs spread out
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
distribute or disperse widely
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
the season of growth
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
stockilyadverb
so as to be stocky
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
strandedadjectiveUS /ˈstrændɪd/
cut off or left behind
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were also some colored posters and prints from weekly papers.
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 Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
of many different kinds purposefully arranged but lacking any uniformity
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
plural of “wall” — an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
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 Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
weeklynounUS /ˈwiːkli/
a periodical that is published every week (or 52 issues per year)
From this reading There were also some colored posters and prints from weekly papers.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were also some colored posters and prints from weekly papers.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading A banjo stood in one corner of the dining room, while guns and revolvers of various kinds and patterns and belts heavy with cartridges hung against the walls or sprawled in corners.
a Caucasian
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
whitewashedadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪtwɑːʃt/
coated with whitewash
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The cook and housekeeper was a stockily built, round-faced Englishman, whom Mead had found stranded in Las Plumas.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
a means of flight or ascent
From this reading Inside, on the whitewashed walls, hung the skins of rattlesnakes, coyotes, wild cats, the feet, head and spread wings of an eagle, and some deer heads and horns.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Emerson Mead's ranch house was a small, white, flat-roofed adobe building, with cottonwood trees growing all about it, and the water from a spring on the hillside beyond, flowing in a little rill past the kitchen door.
