used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
barbariansnounUS /bɑːrˈberiənz/
plural of “barbarian” — a member of an uncivilized people
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
any cognitive content held as true
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
comfortedadjectiveUS /ˈkʌmfərtɪd/
made comfortable or more comfortable in a time of distress
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
convincingadjectiveUS /kənˈvɪnsɪŋ/
causing one to believe the truth of something
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
existedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪstəd/
past form of “exist” — have an existence, be extant
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
a young female
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The old man had spoken only too truly.
hatedadjectiveUS /ˈheɪtəd/
treated with dislike or contempt
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
hostileadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːstəl/
characterized by enmity or ill will
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The old man had spoken only too truly.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
not any; not one
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The old man had spoken only too truly.
and nothing more
From this reading The old man had spoken only too truly.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
perishedverbUS /ˈperɪʃt/
past form of “perish” — pass from physical life and lose all bodily attributes and functions necessary to sustain life
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
plural of “prisoner” — a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
sinceprepositionUS /sɪns/
from a time in the past until now
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination
From this reading The old man had spoken only too truly.
SternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading The old man had spoken only too truly.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
traditionnounUS /trəˈdɪʃən/
an inherited pattern of thought or action
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
tribenounUS /traɪb/
a social division of (usually preliterate) people
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading The old man had spoken only too truly.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Stern took the girl in his arms and comforted her as best he might; but his heart told him there was now no hope.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There existed no way of convincing these barbarians that their prisoners were not of some hated, hostile tribe.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading THE BATTLE IN THE DARK For a time no word passed between them.
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading Evidently the tradition of the outer world had long since perished as a belief among them.
