used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
anew
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
AlasexclamationUS /əˈlæs/
used to show sadness, pity, or regret
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
(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 All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
backsnounUS /bæks/
plural of “back” — the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
bear-tracks
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We saw the print of two fresh bear-tracks crossing the drift.
bearsnounUS /berz/
plural of “bear” — massive plantigrade carnivorous or omnivorous mammals with long shaggy coats and strong claws
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
blastverbUS /blæst/
make a strident sound
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
blownadjectiveUS /bloʊn/
being moved or acted upon by moving air or vapor
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
traveling across
From this reading We saw the print of two fresh bear-tracks crossing the drift.
give pleasure to or be pleasing to
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
driftverbUS /drɪft/
be in motion due to some air or water current
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading However, here was luck for once.
recently made, produced, or harvested
From this reading We saw the print of two fresh bear-tracks crossing the drift.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading However, here was luck for once.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, here was luck for once.
hunchedadjectiveUS /hʌntʃt/
having the back and shoulders rounded; not erect
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading However, here was luck for once.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We saw the print of two fresh bear-tracks crossing the drift.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
on one occasion
From this reading However, here was luck for once.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
printnounUS /prɪnt/
the text appearing in a book, newspaper, or other printed publication
From this reading We saw the print of two fresh bear-tracks crossing the drift.
ridgenounUS /rɪdʒ/
a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
ridgesnounUS /ˈrɪdʒəz/
plural of “ridge” — a long narrow natural elevation or striation
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
ruggedadjectiveUS /ˈrʌɡəd/
sturdy and strong in constitution or construction; enduring
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
cut with a saw
From this reading We saw the print of two fresh bear-tracks crossing the drift.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
in the near future
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
stumbledverbUS /ˈstʌmbəld/
past form of “stumble” — walk unsteadily
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
tracksnounUS /træks/
plural of “track” — a line or route along which something travels or moves
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading We saw the print of two fresh bear-tracks crossing the drift.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
precisely as stated
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
vicinitynounUS /vəˈsɪnəti/
a surrounding or nearby region
From this reading All thoughts of the storm were lost in our delight at the vicinity of bears, for the sign was very fresh.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading However, here was luck for once.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We hunched up our backs and stumbled along the ridge before the blast, and were soon brought up by a drift.
in or at the place that
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
From this reading Alas, though, we lost the tracks after crossing the drift, and could not find them again upon the rugged soil of these ridges where the wind had blown the snow off.
