used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading For six whole weeks no gold digging was thought about.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
beautifullyadverbUS /ˈbjuːtəfli/
in a beautiful manner
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
blacksnounUS /blæks/
plural of “black” — the quality or state of the achromatic color of least lightness (bearing the least resemblance to white)
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
bodyguardsnounUS /ˈbɑːdiɡɑːrdz/
plural of “bodyguard” — someone who escorts and protects a prominent person
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
boldestadjectiveUS /ˈboʊldɪst/
superlative of “bold” — fearless and daring
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
bravestadjectiveUS /ˈbreɪvəst/
superlative of “brave” — possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
an institution created to conduct business
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
diggingnounUS /ˈdɪɡɪŋ/
the act of digging
From this reading For six whole weeks no gold digging was thought about.
drilledadjectiveUS /drɪld/
trained in a skill by repetitious practice
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
divisible by two
From this reading Matters of even greater import occupied the minds of the white men.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For six whole weeks no gold digging was thought about.
coins made of gold
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Matters of even greater import occupied the minds of the white men.
someone employed to conduct others
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
importnounUS /ˌɪmˈpɔːrt/
commodities (goods or services) bought from a foreign country
From this reading Matters of even greater import occupied the minds of the white men.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
intricateadjectiveUS /ˈɪntrəkət/
having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
marksmennounUS /ˈmɑːrksmen/
plural of “marksman” — someone skilled in shooting
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
plural of “matter” — a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Matters of even greater import occupied the minds of the white men.
the force of workers available
From this reading Matters of even greater import occupied the minds of the white men.
plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason
From this reading Matters of even greater import occupied the minds of the white men.
not any; not one
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
held or filled or in use
From this reading Matters of even greater import occupied the minds of the white men.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
by chance
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
Queen'snounUS /kwiːnz/
possessive form of “queen” — the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
ravinenounUS /rəˈviːn/
a deep narrow steep-sided valley (especially one formed by running water)
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
steal goods; take as spoils
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading For six whole weeks no gold digging was thought about.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading For six whole weeks no gold digging was thought about.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading For six whole weeks no gold digging was thought about.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading They were, indeed, the boldest and bravest on the island, and many of them the Queen's own bodyguards.
a Caucasian
From this reading Matters of even greater import occupied the minds of the white men.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading For six whole weeks no gold digging was thought about.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The company of blacks was beautifully drilled by this time, and made fairly good marksmen with the rifle.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading But so intricate was the way to the ravine of gold that without a guide no one could possibly find it.
