Chapter XXVII · Chapter 27

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

higher than, or over, something

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

from one side of something to the other

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

later than; following

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

in or to or toward a former location

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

a knife that can be fixed to the end of a rifle and used as a weapon

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

inflected form of “bear” — have

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

A line that marks the limits of an area.

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord

From this reading The haze which shrouded his brain would never wholly lift.

the act of burning something

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

any succulent plant of the family Cactaceae native chiefly to arid regions of the New World and usually having spines

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

having or resembling repeated square indentations like those in a battlement

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

without doubt or question

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

make overcast or cloudy

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

made troubled or apprehensive or distressed in appearance

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

plural of “cry” — a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

showing lack of emotional involvement

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

true confidential information

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

separated in space or coming from or going to a distance

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

being or moving lower in position or less in some value

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

lacking in liveliness or animation

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

the boundary of a surface

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

at any time

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

to or in any or all places

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

apart from; not including

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

a wide scope

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

opinion or judgment

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

very far away in space or time

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

the side that is forward or prominent

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

resembling or characteristic of a phantom

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

a flash of light (especially reflected light)

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility

From this reading The haze which shrouded his brain would never wholly lift.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

plural of “hill” — a local and well-defined elevation of the land

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The haze which shrouded his brain would never wholly lift.

a loud raucous cry (as of an owl)

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

plural of “incident” — a single distinct event

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

undertake a journey or trip

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

raise from a lower to a higher position

From this reading The haze which shrouded his brain would never wholly lift.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

lacking companions or companionship

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

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 He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

expressing sorrow

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

not ever; at no time in the past or future

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

possessive form of “night” — the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

not any; not one

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

plural of “noise” — sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

not allowed to continue to bat or run

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

slow and laborious because of weight

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

-ing form of “prowl” — move about in or as if in a predatory manner

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

being or dressed in clothes that are worn or torn

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

past form of “remember” — recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

plural of “shadow” — shade within clear boundaries

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

past form of “shroud” — cover as if with a shroud

From this reading The haze which shrouded his brain would never wholly lift.

the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

make a murmuring sound

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

the Romance language spoken in most of Spain and the countries colonized by Spain

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

plural of “star” — (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

act of expanding by lengthening or widening

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

the environmental condition

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

the people or things already mentioned, as the object

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

not clearly expressed or understood

From this reading Except for a few detached details the surroundings of that journey remained vague, clouded, indistinct.

lacking any legal or binding force

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

suggesting the operation of supernatural influences

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The haze which shrouded his brain would never wholly lift.

to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)

From this reading The haze which shrouded his brain would never wholly lift.

air moving (sometimes with considerable force) from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.

in the company of; together with

From this reading He remembered the great, burning desert; the stars gleaming down above them like many eyes; the ponderous, ragged edge of cloud in the west; the irregular, castellated range of hills at their back; the dull expanse of plain ever stretching away in front, with no boundary other than that southern sky.

plural of “wolf” — any of various predatory carnivorous canine mammals of North America and Eurasia that usually hunt in packs

From this reading The weird, ghostly shadows of cactus and Spanish bayonet were everywhere; strange, eerie noises were borne to them out of the void--the distant cries of prowling wolves, the mournful sough of the night wind, the lonely hoot of some far-off owl.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading The haze which shrouded his brain would never wholly lift.

a late time of life

From this reading ACROSS THE DESERT TO THE END Never in the after years could Winston clearly recall the incidents of that night's ride across the sand waste.