Chapter X

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

higher than, or over, something

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

at or in the front

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence or deeply revered.

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses)

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

protected with battlements or parapets with indentations or embrasures for shooting through

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

tired to the point of exhaustion

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

bearing a heavy burden of work or difficulties or responsibilities

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

a mountainous republic in southeastern Asia on the Bay of Bengal

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

a procession (of wagons or mules or camels) traveling together in single file

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

a procession of people traveling on horseback

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

any of the Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in China; regarded as dialects of a single language (even though they are mutually unintelligible) because they share an ideographic writing system

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

arrange or order by classes or categories

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

the shore of a sea or ocean

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

a hypothesis that has been formed by speculating or conjecturing (usually with little hard evidence)

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

having hills and crags

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

slightly wet

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

causing dejection

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the property created by the space between two objects or points

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

plural of “drug” — a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

having a dun color

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

moving toward the east

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

a quantity of liquor equal to one fifth of a United States gallon

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

plural of “find” — a productive insight

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

an entrance that can be closed by a gate

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

only a very short time before

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

atmospheric moisture or dust or smoke that causes reduced visibility

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

a blue dye obtained from plants or made synthetically

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

disinclined to work or exertion

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

a land mass (smaller than a continent) that is surrounded by water

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

used when the thing doing the action is also its object

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

changed from a solid to a liquid state

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

the force of workers available

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

and nothing more

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

plural of “mule” — hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse; usually sterile

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

in a cryptic manner

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

an addictive narcotic extracted from seed capsules of the opium poppy

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

above and across; more than

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

past form of “pass” — go across or through

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

plural of “poppy” — annual or biennial or perennial herbs having showy flowers

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

plural of “rampart” — an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the shape of a raised edge of a more or less circular object

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

uneven by virtue of having wrinkles or waves

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

being the most concentrated solution possible at a given temperature; unable to dissolve still more of a substance

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

plural of “savage” — a member of an uncivilized people

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

a division of an ocean or a large body of salt water partially enclosed by land

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

having or joined by a seam or seams

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the land along the edge of a body of water

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

an enlisted man or woman who serves in an army

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the region of the United States lying to the south of the Mason-Dixon line

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

a lightweight cord

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

past form of “surge” — rise and move, as in waves or billows

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

an impression that something might be the case

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

inflected form of “swim” — travel through water

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

naturally having skin of a dark color

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

from that place or that time

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

from one end or side of something to the other

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

(used to introduce a logical conclusion) from that fact or reason or as a result

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

an autonomous region of the Peoples Republic of China; located in the Himalayas

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

past form of “toss” — throw or toss with a light motion

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

move through by or as by digging

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

wearing a turban

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

below or beneath something; less than

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

up to a particular time

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

the topmost one of two

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

often used as intensifiers

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

plural of “wall” — 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 CARAVAN Ahead, above a sea of indigo poppies, rose the walls of Tali-fang.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

plural of “waste” — any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

plural of “wave” — one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

how something is done or how it happens

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

toward the west

From this reading Blue poppies rippled eastward and north to the foot of blue mountains (the seamed, craggy wastes that bulwarked Tibet); rippled westward and south until they melted into the blue haze of uncertain distance.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

which person or people

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.

belonging to which person

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Thus the city, with its dun-colored walls, swam in the poppies like an island against whose battlemented shore blue waves surged and tossed.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading To him it was merely a string of burdened, tired-looking mules, four half-naked savages--_yehjen_, as the Chinese call the hill-folk of Upper Burma--and two swarthy, turbaned men that he could not immediately classify and was too indolent, too saturated with drugs, to conjecture about.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The cavalcade that rode through the veritable tunnel under the ramparts was hardly one to arouse suspicion in the mind of the blear-eyed Yunnanese soldier who drowsed in the damp dismal shadow of this gateway that was almost as ancient as China itself and under which at least one fifth of the opium that finds its way mysteriously to the Coast, and thence over the rim of the earth, had passed.