used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
AfricanounUS /ˈæfrəkɑː/
the second largest continent; located to the south of Europe and bordered to the west by the South Atlantic and to the east by the Indian Ocean
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
back-country
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
black-folk
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
blackestadjectiveUS /ˈblækəst/
superlative of “black” — being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
blood-chilling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
CanaannounUS /ˈkeɪnən/
an ancient country in southwestern Asia on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea; a place of pilgrimage for Christianity and Islam and Judaism
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
confirmationnounUS /ˌkɑːnfərˈmeɪʃən/
additional proof that something that was believed (some fact or hypothesis or theory) is correct
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
a natural stream of water smaller than a river (and often a tributary of a river)
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
cronenounUS /kroʊn/
an ugly evil-looking old woman
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
plural of “force” — a powerful effect or influence
From this reading No need to inquire what obscure forces worked to unseal those wrinkled lips to a Black River man.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
a young female
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
inquireverbUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪr/
address a question to and expect an answer from
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
isolatedadjectiveUS /ˈaɪsəleɪtəd/
not close together in time
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
plural of “lie” — a statement that deviates from or perverts the truth
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
any art that invokes supernatural powers
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
of an obscure nature
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
not any; not one
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
obscureverbUS /əbsˈkjʊr/
make less visible or unclear
From this reading No need to inquire what obscure forces worked to unseal those wrinkled lips to a Black River man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
and nothing more
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
quadroonnoun
an offspring of a mulatto and a white parent; a person who is one-quarter black
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
racingnounUS /ˈreɪsɪŋ/
the sport of engaging in contests of speed
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
regionnounUS /ˈriːdʒən/
the extended spatial location of something
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
a large natural stream of water (larger than a creek)
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
try to get or reach
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
seizeverbUS /siːz/
take hold of; grab
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
cause to go somewhere
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
shufflingnounUS /ˈʃʌflɪŋ/
walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
in or characteristic of a region of the United States south of (approximately) the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
spinenounUS /spaɪn/
the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
spine-freezing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
swamp-bordered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
swampsnounUS /swɑːmps/
plural of “swamp” — low land that is seasonally flooded; has more woody plants than a marsh and better drainage than a bog
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading No need to inquire what obscure forces worked to unseal those wrinkled lips to a Black River man.
throngnounUS /θrɔːŋ/
a large gathering of people
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
a source of difficulty
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
Tularoosa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
unsealverbUS /ənˈsiːl/
break the seal of
From this reading No need to inquire what obscure forces worked to unseal those wrinkled lips to a Black River man.
having passed out of existence
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
voodoonounUS /ˈvuːduː/
a charm superstitiously believed to embody magical powers
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
a message informing of danger
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading No need to seek confirmation; no need to inquire by what mysterious, black-folk way the word had come to her.
in or to any place at all
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
which person or people
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
wieldedverbUS /ˈwiːldɪd/
past form of “wield” — have and exercise
From this reading _A tale of the Southern swamps, and voodoo brought from blackest Africa--a spine-freezing, blood-chilling story of a beautiful quadroon girl who wielded bitter magic._ "Trouble on Tularoosa Creek!"
witheredadjectiveUS /ˈwɪðərd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading It was only a whisper from the withered lips of a shuffling black crone, who vanished among the throng before I could seize her; but it was enough.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading A warning to send cold fear along the spine of any man who was raised in that isolated back-country, called Canaan, that lies between Tularoosa and Black River--to send him racing back to that swamp-bordered region, wherever the word might reach him.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading No need to inquire what obscure forces worked to unseal those wrinkled lips to a Black River man.
wrinkledadjectiveUS /ˈrɪŋkəld/
marked by wrinkles
From this reading No need to inquire what obscure forces worked to unseal those wrinkled lips to a Black River man.
