used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
achedverbUS /eɪkt/
past form of “ache” — feel physical pain
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
the event consisting of the start of something
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
cropsnounUS /krɑːps/
plural of “crop” — the yield from plants in a single growing season
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading That they should destroy in a day, in an hour, the materials which she was sacrificing her youth to provide!
deliberatelyadverbUS /dɪˈlɪbərətli/
with intention; in an intentional manner
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
deliriouslyadverb
as if in a delirium
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
drummingnounUS /ˈdrʌmɪŋ/
the act of playing drums
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
endurableadjective
capable of being borne though unpleasant
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
an opposing military force
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
exhaustionnounUS /ɪɡˈzɔːstʃən/
extreme fatigue
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
GermansnounUS /ˈdʒɜːrmənz/
plural of “german” — a person of German nationality
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
great-grandfather
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
heresynounUS /ˈherəsi/
any opinions or doctrines at variance with the official or orthodox position
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading That they should destroy in a day, in an hour, the materials which she was sacrificing her youth to provide!
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
incredibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkredəbəl/
beyond belief or understanding
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
plural of “limb” — one of the jointed appendages of an animal used for locomotion or grasping: arm; leg; wing; flipper
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
materialsnounUS /məˈtɪriəlz/
plural of “material” — the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object
From this reading That they should destroy in a day, in an hour, the materials which she was sacrificing her youth to provide!
the force of workers available
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
subject to death
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
pestilencenounUS /ˈpestələns/
a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
PotatoesnounUS /pəˈteɪtoʊz/
plural of “potato” — an edible tuber native to South America; a staple food of Ireland
From this reading Potatoes.
provideverbUS /prəˈvaɪd/
give something useful or necessary to
From this reading That they should destroy in a day, in an hour, the materials which she was sacrificing her youth to provide!
resourcesnounUS /ˈriːsɔːrsɪz/
plural of “resource” — available source of wealth; a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
rotationnounUS /roʊˈteɪʃən/
the act of rotating as if on an axis
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
sacrificingverbUS /ˈsækrəfaɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “sacrifice” — endure the loss of
From this reading That they should destroy in a day, in an hour, the materials which she was sacrificing her youth to provide!
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading In the beginning the Germans had seemed less a mortal enemy than an evil spirit at large, and she had fought them as her great-grandfather might have fought a heresy or a pestilence.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That they should destroy in a day, in an hour, the materials which she was sacrificing her youth to provide!
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading That men should destroy one another appeared to her less incredible than that they should deliberately destroy the resources which made life endurable.
in the company of; together with
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading At night, lying in bed with limbs that ached so she could not sleep, and a mind that was a blank from exhaustion, she would hear the rotation of crops drumming deliriously in her thoughts.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading That they should destroy in a day, in an hour, the materials which she was sacrificing her youth to provide!
