used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
barnsnounUS /bɑːrnz/
plural of “barn” — an outlying farm building for storing grain or animal feed and housing farm animals
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
buildingsnounUS /ˈbɪldɪŋz/
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
an occurrence of something
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
separated in space or coming from or going to a distance
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
plural of “door” — a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
inflected form of “drag” — pull, as against a resistance
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
start firing a weapon
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
shoot down, of birds
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
haynounUS /heɪ/
grass mowed and cured for use as fodder
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
heapsnounUS /hiːps/
a large number or amount
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
Herculanus
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
holesnounUS /hoʊlz/
plural of “hole” — an opening into or through something
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
huntersnounUS /ˈhʌntərz/
plural of “hunter” — someone who hunts game
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
temporary military shelter
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
indistinctadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈstɪŋkt/
not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
a body of (usually fresh) water surrounded by land
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
logsnounUS /lɔːɡz/
plural of “log” — a segment of the trunk of a tree when stripped of branches
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
overtakenverbUS /ˈoʊvərteɪkən/
inflected form of “overtake” — catch up with and possibly overtake
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
piledverbUS /paɪld/
past form of “pile” — arrange in stacks
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
pursuernounUS /pərˈsuːər/
a person who is pursuing and trying to overtake or capture
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
quantitiesnounUS /ˈkwɑːntətiz/
plural of “quantity” — how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
precisely, exactly
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
roughlyadverbUS /ˈrʌfli/
(of quantities) imprecise but fairly close to correct
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
a structure that provides privacy and protection from danger
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
shepherdsnounUS /ˈʃepərdz/
plural of “shepherd” — a clergyman who watches over a group of people
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
the land along the edge of a body of water
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Before Herculanus had reached the hut, an indistinct sound reached his ear from the right, the shore of the lake.
the unlimited expanse in which everything is located
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
stacksnounUS /stæks/
a large number or amount
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
stationsnounUS /ˈsteɪʃənz/
(Roman Catholic Church) a devotion consisting of fourteen prayers said before a series of fourteen pictures or carvings representing successive incidents during Jesus' passage from Pilate's house to his crucifixion at Calvary
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
stormsnounUS /stɔːrmz/
plural of “storm” — a violent weather condition with winds 64-72 knots (11 on the Beaufort scale) and precipitation and thunder and lightning
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
thinnernounUS /ˈθɪnər/
a diluting agent
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
underbrushnounUS /ˈʌndərbrʌʃ/
the brush (small trees and bushes and ferns etc.) growing beneath taller trees in a wood or forest
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
unhewnadjective
(of stone especially) not given a finished form by or as if by hewing
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
employed in accomplishing something
From this reading Such buildings were used by hunters for stations, by shepherds overtaken in the forest by storms for a shelter, but especially to keep quantities of hay which could not be dragged to the distant barns.
precisely as stated
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That was the case here; heaps of the grass piled in stacks could be seen through the holes.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Here stood a little hut, very roughly built of unhewn logs: instead of doors two low narrow holes were opposite each other.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The underbrush grew thinner, evidently removed by human hands; a few steps more and the pursuer stood in an open space in the forest which had been cleared by fire.
