used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
adobenounUS /əˈdoʊbi/
the clay from which adobe bricks are made
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
next to; at the side of
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
caballero
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
climbingnounUS /ˈklaɪmɪŋ/
an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
clothing in general
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
crestnounUS /krest/
the top line of a hill, mountain, or wave
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
traveling across
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
curbnounUS /kɜːrb/
an edge between a sidewalk and a roadway consisting of a line of curbstones (usually forming part of a gutter)
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
daintyadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪnti/
delicately beautiful
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
droopedverbUS /druːpt/
past form of “droop” — droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
remove the dust from
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
plural of “end” — either extremity of something that has length
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
flashingnounUS /ˈflæʃɪŋ/
a short vivid experience
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
destroyed or killed
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading Once outside, his progress was rapid over the uneven ground.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
past form of “mingle” — to bring or combine together or with something else
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
an organization of missionaries in a foreign land sent to carry on religious work
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
moustachenounUS /ˈmʌstæʃ/
an unshaved growth of hair on the upper lip
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
water soaked soil; soft wet earth
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
nightfallnounUS /ˈnaɪtfɔːl/
the time of day immediately following sunset
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
not any; not one
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
on one occasion
From this reading Once outside, his progress was rapid over the uneven ground.
orchardnounUS /ˈɔːrtʃərd/
garden consisting of a small cultivated wood without undergrowth
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
relating to or being on or near the outer side or limit
From this reading Once outside, his progress was rapid over the uneven ground.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Once outside, his progress was rapid over the uneven ground.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
gradual improvement or growth or development
From this reading Once outside, his progress was rapid over the uneven ground.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading Once outside, his progress was rapid over the uneven ground.
scraggyadjective
being very thin
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
an elevated geological formation
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
unevenadjectiveUS /əˈniːvən/
not even or uniform as e.g. in shape or texture
From this reading Once outside, his progress was rapid over the uneven ground.
visagenounUS /ˈvɪzədʒ/
the human face (“kisser” and “smiler” and “mug” are informal terms for “face” and “phiz” is British)
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
past form of “walk” — use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
From this reading Now he walked and now he ran, making his way to the crest of the slope behind the mission buildings.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
warriornounUS /ˈwɔːriər/
someone engaged in or experienced in warfare
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading THE WAY IN An hour after nightfall the well in the orchard at the mission gave forth a man.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mud and dust were mingled on his clothes, the ends of his moustache drooped, and there was a scraggy beard on his face.
which person or people
From this reading The dainty caballero was gone, and in his place was a warrior of stern visage and flashing eyes, who stood beside the well curb for a few minutes listening and then lost no time in crossing the orchard and climbing the adobe wall.
