used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
how long something has existed
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
(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 More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
bazaarsnounUS /bəˈzɑːrz/
plural of “bazaar” — a shop where a variety of goods are sold
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
the act of overcoming or outdoing
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
in addition to; as well as
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
brassnounUS /bræs/
an alloy of copper and zinc
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
third-person singular of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
citiesnounUS /ˈsɪtiz/
plural of “city” — a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
civilizationnounUS /ˌsɪvəlɪˈzeɪʃən/
a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations)
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
comparisonnounUS /kəmˈperəsən/
the act of examining resemblances
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
connectverbUS /kəˈnekt/
connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
DamascusnounUS /dəˈmæskəs/
an ancient city (widely regarded as the world's oldest) and present capital and largest city of Syria; according to the New Testament, the Apostle Paul (then known as Saul) underwent a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
the state or quality of being widely honored and acclaimed
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
fertileadjectiveUS /ˈfɜːrtəl/
capable of reproducing
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
hammernounUS /ˈhæmər/
the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
Hauran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
inventionnounUS /ˌɪnˈvenʃən/
the creation of something in the mind
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
JordannounUS /ˈdʒɔːrdən/
a river in Palestine that empties into the Dead Sea; John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
locomotivenounUS /ˌloʊkəˈmoʊtɪv/
a wheeled vehicle consisting of a self-propelled engine that is used to draw trains along railway tracks
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
engage in
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
and nothing more
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
prehistoricadjectiveUS /ˌpriːhɪˈstɔːrɪk/
belonging to or existing in times before recorded history
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
bring forth or yield
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
progressiveadjectiveUS /prəˈɡresɪv/
favoring or promoting progress
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
prosaicadjectiveUS /proʊˈzeɪɪk/
not fanciful or imaginative
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
railwaynounUS /ˈreɪlweɪ/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
remindverbUS /riˈmaɪnd/
put in the mind of someone
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
repulsedverbUS /riˈpʌlst/
past form of “repulse” — force or drive back
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
sewingnounUS /ˈsoʊɪŋ/
joining or attaching by stitches
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
Shaam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
spherenounUS /sfɪr/
a particular environment or walk of life
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
suburbsnounUS /ˈsʌbərbz/
plural of “suburb” — a residential district located on the outskirts of a city
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
successfullyadverbUS /səkˈsesfəli/
with success; in a successful manner
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
telegraphnounUS /ˈteləɡræf/
apparatus used to communicate at a distance over a wire (usually in Morse code)
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
travelernounUS /ˈtrævələr/
a person who changes location
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
vaultedadjectiveUS /ˈvɔːltɪd/
having a hemispherical vault or dome
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
a tube in which a body fluid circulates
From this reading Here is a man, with a hammer that might have existed in the stone age, beating into shape a vessel of brass on a flat rock.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading But these things make the prehistoric way of the city the stranger by comparison, and serve to remind the traveler that he is not on another sphere, but merely far removed from the progressive and prosaic West.
relating to or characteristic of the western parts of the world or the West as opposed to the eastern or oriental parts
From this reading More successfully than all other cities of its age and fame, Damascus has repulsed the advance of Western civilization and invention.
whirnoun
sound of something in rapid motion
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading To be sure, the whistle of the locomotive is heard now in her suburbs; for besides the railway to the coast, a new line brings to the ancient city the produce of the vast and fertile Hauran beyond Jordan.
wiresnounUS /ˈwaɪərz/
plural of “wire” — ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading A few single telegraph wires, too, connect “Shaam” with the outside world, and the whir of the American sewing machine is heard in her long, vaulted bazaars.
