aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
campfirenounUS /ˈkæmpfaɪər/
a small outdoor fire for warmth or cooking (as at a camp)
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
a formal event performed on a special occasion
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
curledadjectiveUS /kɜːrld/
(of hair) making curls or having been made to curl
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
after an unspecified period of time or an especially long delay
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
start firing a weapon
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
FirstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
flanknounUS /flæŋk/
the side of military or naval formation
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
half-circle
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
impressiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpresɪv/
making a strong or vivid impression
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
Joe
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
kettlenounUS /ˈketəl/
a metal pot for stewing or boiling; usually has a lid
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
NaranounUS /ˈnɑːrə/
the independent agency that oversees management of federal government records including presidential libraries and historic collections
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
not any; not one
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
not divisible by two
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
poisedadjectiveUS /pɔɪzd/
marked by balance or equilibrium and readiness for action
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
recurring again and again
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
precisely, exactly
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
advancing or becoming higher or greater in degree or value or status
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
ritualnounUS /ˈrɪtʃuːəl/
any customary observance or practice
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
simmeringnounUS /ˈsɪmərɪŋ/
cooking in a liquid that has been brought to a boil
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
spearmen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
steamverbUS /stiːm/
travel by means of steam power
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
possessing sweep
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading First to the right, then to the left of the fire, Nara repeated his odd ritual.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
tribesmennounUS /ˈtraɪbzmɪn/
plural of “tribesman” — someone who lives in a tribe
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading His back was toward the half-circle of tribesmen, but now, he changed position.
waveredverbUS /ˈweɪvərd/
past form of “waver” — pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
weaponsnounUS /ˈwepənz/
plural of “weapon” — any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
at the time that
From this reading When Joe Nara reached the big campfire, he extended his hands above the simmering kettle and swept them back and forth in slow, impressive fashion.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Finally, he stepped beyond the fire and turned to face the group through the rising steam which wavered and curled about his arms as he repeated his ceremony.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Two savage spearmen had stepped up to flank him with poised weapons, but Nara paid them no attention.
