used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading VOICES IN THE VOID The directions had been plain.
cause to be bored
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
closingnounUS /ˈkloʊzɪŋ/
the act of closing something
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
plural of “direction” — a line leading to a place or point
From this reading VOICES IN THE VOID The directions had been plain.
one or the other of two
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
guidesnounUS /ɡaɪdz/
plural of “guide” — someone employed to conduct others
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading VOICES IN THE VOID The directions had been plain.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading VOICES IN THE VOID The directions had been plain.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
a unit of length equal to 1,760 yards or 5,280 feet; exactly 1609.344 meters
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
the natural satellite of the Earth
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading That much I sensed.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
the region of the United States lying to the north of the Mason-Dixon line
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
northwardadverbUS /ˈnɔːrθwərd/
in a northern direction
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading VOICES IN THE VOID The directions had been plain.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
inflected form of “ride” — sit and travel on the back of animal, usually while controlling its motions
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
only a very short time before
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
self-reproachnoun
a feeling of deep regret (usually for some misdeed)
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
sensedadjectiveUS /senst/
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading That much I sensed.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
(astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
swathedverbUS /swɑːðd/
past form of “swathe” — wrap in swaddling clothes
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading VOICES IN THE VOID The directions had been plain.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
tortureverbUS /ˈtɔːrtʃər/
torment emotionally or mentally
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
trucenounUS /truːs/
a state of peace agreed to between opponents so they can discuss peace terms
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
violateverbUS /ˈvaɪəleɪt/
fail to agree with; be in violation of; as of rules or patterns
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading VOICES IN THE VOID The directions had been plain.
VOIDadjectiveUS /vɔɪd/
lacking any legal or binding force
From this reading VOICES IN THE VOID The directions had been plain.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading What her thoughts were I might not know, but they sat heavy upon her, closing her throat with the torture of vain self-reproach.
in or at the place that
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With the North Star and the moon as our guides we scarcely could fail to strike the stage road where it bore off from the mountains northward into the desert.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading For the first half mile we rode without a word from either of us to violate the truce that swathed us like the night.
