used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
astersnounUS /ˈæstərz/
plural of “aster” — any of various chiefly fall-blooming herbs of the genus Aster with showy daisylike flowers
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
Baldwin'snounUS /ˈbɔːldwənz/
possessive form of “baldwin” — United States author who was an outspoken critic of racism (1924-1987)
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
barnnounUS /bɑːrn/
an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
boardedverbUS /ˈbɔːrdəd/
past form of “board” — get on board of (trains, buses, ships, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
cottagesnounUS /ˈkɑːtɪdʒɪz/
plural of “cottage” — a small house with a single story
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
cranberriesnounUS /ˈkrænberiz/
plural of “cranberry” — any of numerous shrubs of genus Vaccinium bearing cranberries
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
cricketsnounUS /ˈkrɪkəts/
plural of “cricket” — leaping insect; male makes chirping noises by rubbing the forewings together
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
decoynounUS /dəˈkɔɪ/
a beguiler who leads someone into danger (usually as part of a plot)
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
disputedadjectiveUS /dɪsˈpjuːtəd/
subject to disagreement and debate
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
ducksnounUS /dʌks/
plural of “duck” — small wild or domesticated web-footed broad-billed swimming bird usually having a depressed body and short legs
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
freshlyadverbUS /ˈfreʃli/
very recently
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
hardhack
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
hearthstonenoun
a stone that forms a hearth
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
hewnadjectiveUS /hjuːn/
cut or shaped with hard blows of a heavy cutting instrument like an ax or chisel
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
IranounUS /ˈaɪrə/
a militant organization of Irish nationalists who used terrorism and guerilla warfare in an effort to drive British forces from Northern Ireland and achieve a united independent Ireland
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
plural of “light” — (physics) electromagnetic radiation that can produce a visual sensation
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
marshnounUS /mɑːrʃ/
low-lying wet land with grassy vegetation; usually is a transition zone between land and water
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
used to form the superlative
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
newlyadverbUS /ˈnuːli/
very recently
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
and nothing more
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
coated with paint
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
a light shade of red
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
rodnounUS /rɑːd/
a long thin implement made of metal or wood
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
roseberries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
rosieradjectiveUS /ˈroʊziər/
comparative of “rosy” — reflecting optimism
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
an arrangement of objects or people side by side in a line
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
North American woodland herb similar to and used as substitute for the Chinese ginseng
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
not in physical motion
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
swayverbUS /sweɪ/
move back and forth or sideways
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
twinkledverbUS /ˈtwɪŋkəld/
past form of “twinkle” — gleam or glow intermittently
From this reading Only a few lights still twinkled out at night along shore.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
the act of using
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading The crickets sang in the dry grass or under some still warm hearthstone.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Outside Ira Baldwin's barn was a row of newly hewn decoy ducks, freshly painted and ready for use.
waxyadjectiveUS /ˈwæksi/
made of or covered with wax
From this reading The waxy cranberries had turned a rosier pink and down in the marsh hardhack and roseberries disputed the sway of golden rod and asters.
any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
the coldest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the winter solstice to the vernal equinox
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading THE END OF THE SEASON Within a week most of the summer cottages were boarded up and closed for the winter.
