used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
adjoiningverbUS /əˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “adjoin” — lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An Indian entered and spoke to Gonzales in whispers.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
goddess of criminal rashness and its punishment
From this reading The caballero ate ravenously, scarcely speaking.
awakeadjectiveUS /əˈweɪk/
not in a state of sleep; completely conscious
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
basinnounUS /ˈbeɪsən/
a bowl-shaped vessel; usually used for holding food or liquids
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/
touched lightly in passing; grazed against
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
caballero
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
stick of wax with a wick in the middle
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
clothing in general
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
neither warm nor very cold; giving relief from heat
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
dressingnounUS /ˈdresɪŋ/
savory dressings for salads; basically of two kinds: either the thin French or vinaigrette type or the creamy mayonnaise type
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
driedadjectiveUS /draɪd/
not still wet
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
set up or found
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
Gonzales
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
greasedadjectiveUS /ɡriːst/
smeared with oil or grease to reduce friction
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
heapedverbUS /hiːpt/
past form of “heap” — bestow in large quantities
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
highwaynounUS /ˈhaɪweɪ/
a major road for any form of motor transport
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
of or relating to or characteristic of India or the East Indies or their peoples or languages or cultures
From this reading An Indian entered and spoke to Gonzales in whispers.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
MYSTERIESnounUS /ˈmɪstəriz/
plural of “mystery” — something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
neatlyadverbUS /ˈniːtli/
with neatness
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
past form of “plunge” — thrust or throw into
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
ravenouslyadverb
in the manner of someone who is very hungry
From this reading The caballero ate ravenously, scarcely speaking.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
ridernounUS /ˈraɪdər/
a traveler who actively rides an animal (as a horse or camel)
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
only a very short time before
From this reading The caballero ate ravenously, scarcely speaking.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading The caballero ate ravenously, scarcely speaking.
support consisting of a radial member of a wheel joining the hub to the rim
From this reading An Indian entered and spoke to Gonzales in whispers.
not in physical motion
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
in or at that place or location
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading The rider of the highway found that his clothes had been brushed and neatly folded, that his boots had been greased, and that a huge stone basin filled with cool water stood ready.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He plunged his head in the water, dried his face, and went to the adjoining room after dressing, there to find a table heaped high with food.
at the time that
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
whispersnounUS /ˈwɪspərz/
plural of “whisper” — speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading An Indian entered and spoke to Gonzales in whispers.
in the company of; together with
From this reading MYSTERIES It was still dark when Gonzales entered the room with a candle and shook the caballero until he was awake.
