used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
in addition
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
antiquitiesnounUS /ænˈtɪkwətiz/
plural of “antiquity” — the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
any person at all
From this reading Imagine anyone living in Italy never having been to Pompeii.
appropriatelyadverbUS /əˈproʊpriɪtli/
in accordance with what is appropriate or suitable for the circumstances
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
areanounUS /ˈeriə/
a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
ArizonanounUS /ˌerɪˈzoʊnə/
a state in southwestern United States; site of the Grand Canyon
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Imagine anyone living in Italy never having been to Pompeii.
CaironounUS /ˈkaɪroʊ/
a town at the southern tip of Illinois at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
CanyonnounUS /ˈkænjən/
a ravine formed by a river in an area with little rainfall
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
assets available for use in the production of further assets
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
countriesnounUS /ˈkʌntriz/
plural of “country” — a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
divisible by two
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
fittinglyadverbUS /ˈfɪtɪŋli/
in accordance with what is appropriate or suitable for the circumstances
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
Fé
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
the lack of knowledge or education
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
of great significance or value
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD
From this reading Imagine anyone living in Italy never having been to Pompeii.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
plural of “life” — a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
past form of “name” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
and nothing more
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
used when we are both doing the action and receiving it
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
PhoenixnounUS /ˈfiːnɪks/
the state capital and largest city located in south central Arizona; situated in a former desert that has become a prosperous agricultural area thanks to irrigation
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
picturedadjectiveUS /ˈpɪktʃərd/
seen in the mind as a mental image
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
Pompeiinoun
ancient city to the southeast of Naples that was buried by a volcanic eruption from Vesuvius
From this reading Imagine anyone living in Italy never having been to Pompeii.
PueblonounUS /pˈwebloʊ/
a member of any of about two dozen Native American peoples called “Pueblos” by the Spanish because they live in pueblos (villages built of adobe and rock)
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
PyramidsnounUS /ˈpɪrəmɪdz/
plural of “pyramid” — a polyhedron having a polygonal base and triangular sides with a common vertex
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
railroadnounUS /ˈreɪlroʊd/
line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freight
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
SaharanounUS /səˈherə/
the world's largest desert (3,500,000 square miles) in northern Africa
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
a loose material consisting of grains of rock or coral
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
SantanounUS /ˈsæntə/
the legendary patron saint of children; an imaginary being who is thought to bring presents to children at Christmas
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
sizzlingadjectiveUS /ˈsɪzəlɪŋ/
hot enough to burn with or as if with a hissing sound
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
SouthwestnounUS /ˌsaʊˈθwest/
the compass point midway between south and west; at 225 degrees
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
surviveverbUS /sərˈvaɪv/
continue to live and avoid dying
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
terminalnounUS /ˈtɜːrmənəl/
station where transport vehicles load or unload passengers or goods
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
a special situation
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading We thought that Pueblo had a nice Indian sound, that Santa Fé must be an important railroad terminal.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Imagine anyone living in Italy never having been to Pompeii.
TombstonenounUS /ˈtuːmstoʊn/
a stone that is used to mark a grave
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading Arizona we pictured as a wide desert like the Sahara, with the Grand Canyon at the top of it, and a place called Phoenix, appropriately named as the only thing that could survive the heat, and another place called Tombstone, also fittingly named, in the middle of a vast area of sizzling sand.
in the company of; together with
From this reading IGNORANCE WITH A CAPITAL I Imagine people living all their lives in Cairo never having seen the Pyramids.
wondersnounUS /ˈwʌndərz/
plural of “wonder” — the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
but in spite of that
From this reading Yet we, ourselves, to whom the antiquities and wonders of far countries are perfectly familiar, did not even know that the wonders of our Southwest existed!
