Every word is available to listen to. Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
adeterminerUS /ə/
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
againnounUS /again/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
aimless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
air
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
alike
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
andconjunctionUS /ənd/
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
asconjunctionUS /æz/
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
atprepositionUS /æt/
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
awake
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
beast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
birds
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
burned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
burning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
butconjunctionUS /bʌt/
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
carved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
chirruping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
cold
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
comenounUS /come/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
concert
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
creaky
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
crept
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
cruelty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
dank
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
death
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
desolate
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the riot within her was dying out: her mood was as desolate as the hour.
dew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
dewberries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
dripping
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
dust-white
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
dying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the riot within her was dying out: her mood was as desolate as the hour.
edged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
exemplar
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
eyes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
face
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
fast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
felt
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
fever-driven
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
fields
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
film
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
flying
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
forprepositionUS /fɔːr/
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
freshened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
goes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
goodnounUS /good/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
grass
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
grey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
halfnounUS /half/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
heads
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
hedges
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
herdeterminerUS /hɜːr/
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
high-road
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
hour
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
hours
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
house
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
ifconjunctionUS /ɪf/
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
InprepositionUS /ɪn/
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
isauxiliary verbUS /ɪz/
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
itpronounUS /ɪt/
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
itsdeterminerUS /ɪts/
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
Laura
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
light
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
loud
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
midsummer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
mood
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the riot within her was dying out: her mood was as desolate as the hour.
motionless
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
night-look
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
nodeterminerUS /noʊ/
not any; not one
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
ofprepositionUS /ʌv/
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
onprepositionUS /ɑːn/
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
onepronounUS /wʌn/
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
out
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
riot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Yet the riot within her was dying out: her mood was as desolate as the hour.
rose
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
season
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
seemednounUS /seemed/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
shepronounUS /ʃiː/
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
shivered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
shrill
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
sleep
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
sleeves
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
smallest
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
soak
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
sort
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
spell
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
spite
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
spray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
spread
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
stillnounUS /still/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
stillness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
tansy
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
thedeterminerUS /ðə/
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
theirdeterminerUS /ðer/
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
thempronounUS /ðem/
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
thick
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
thinadjectiveUS /θɪn/
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
thirdnounUS /third/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
throughnounUS /ˈthrough/
a story-specific word describing an important person, object, action, or idea in this passage
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
toparticleUS /tuː/
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
trailing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
trails
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
trees
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
tuning
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
up
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
virtuenounUS /ˈvɝː.tʃuː/
Moral excellence and goodness of character; the highest human attainment in Stoic philosophy.
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
visible
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
water
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
water-drops
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
wentnounUS /went/
an important story-specific word used in this passage
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The birds were half awake, chirruping, as it seemed in that stillness, loud and shrill, tuning up for the concert that was to come; but the trees had still their motionless carved night-look, and the hedges and fields were as fast as if the thick film of dew spread over them were a visible spell.
whenconjunctionUS /wen/
at the time that
From this reading In spite of the burning season the air was cold, with the dank cold of the smallest hours, when virtue goes out of beast and man alike, in sleep that is half at one with its exemplar death.
withprepositionUS /wɪð/
in the company of; together with
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
withinprepositionUS /wɪˈðɪn/
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Yet the riot within her was dying out: her mood was as desolate as the hour.
world
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the half light of the third hour she rose, freshened her eyes with cold water and crept out of the creaky house into the grey midsummer world.
wrenching
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Laura, fever-driven, trailing through the dust-white grass that edged the high-road, wrenching as she went, with a sort of aimless cruelty, at the dripping tansy heads and trails of dewberries, felt the flying water-drops soak through her thin sleeves and spray up on to her face, and shivered and burned again, and had no good of them.
YetconjunctionUS /jet/
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet the riot within her was dying out: her mood was as desolate as the hour.
