used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A WILD BOAR.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
aliveadjectiveUS /əˈlaɪv/
possessing life
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
an unofficial association of people or groups
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
BOARnounUS /bɔːr/
Old World wild swine having a narrow body and prominent tusks from which most domestic swine come; introduced in United States
From this reading A WILD BOAR.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
castawaysnounUS /ˈkæstəweɪz/
plural of “castaway” — a person who is rejected (from society or home)
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
chargesnounUS /ˈtʃɑːrdʒəz/
plural of “charge” — an impetuous rush toward someone or something
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
convalescencenounUS /ˌkɑːnvəˈlesəns/
gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
a division of the United Kingdom
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading We felt very much the want of firearms.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
firearmsnounUS /ˈfaɪərɑːrmz/
plural of “firearm” — a portable gun
From this reading We felt very much the want of firearms.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
Hislop
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
not in action or at work
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
implicitadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈplɪsət/
implied though not directly expressed; inherent in the nature of something
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
inspiredadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈspaɪərd/
being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
plural of “kind” — a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading We felt very much the want of firearms.
musketnounUS /ˈmʌskət/
a muzzle-loading shoulder gun with a long barrel; formerly used by infantrymen
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
not any; not one
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We felt very much the want of firearms.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
powdernounUS /ˈpaʊdər/
a solid substance in the form of tiny loose particles; a solid that has been pulverized
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
procuringverbUS /proʊˈkjʊrɪŋ/
-ing form of “procure” — get by special effort
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
established beyond doubt
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
with speed
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
freed from illness or injury
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
reliancenounUS /rɪˈlaɪəns/
certainty based on past experience
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
sinecurenoun
a benefice to which no spiritual or pastoral duties are attached
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
a mercantile establishment for the retail sale of goods or services
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
of high or superior quality or performance
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading We felt very much the want of firearms.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
accumulated wealth in the form of money or jewels etc.
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
unarmedadjectiveUS /əˈnɑːrmd/
(used of persons or the military) not having or using arms
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
undertookverbUS /ˌʌndərˈtʊk/
inflected form of “undertake” — enter upon an activity or enterprise
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
being of use or service
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
precisely as stated
From this reading We felt very much the want of firearms.
vigornounUS /ˈvɪɡər/
forceful exertion
From this reading Hislop recovered strength rapidly, and his convalescence inspired our little band of castaways with new confidence and vigor, as they had implicit reliance in his superior knowledge and intelligence.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading We felt very much the want of firearms.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We felt very much the want of firearms.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
which person or people
From this reading We were never idle; for, unarmed as we were, the task of procuring food for our general store was by no means a sinecure to those who undertook it.
marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading A WILD BOAR.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
the trees and other plants in a large densely wooded area
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading The air seemed alive with birds--the woods with game of several kinds; and now an old musket with a few charges of powder would have proved more useful to us than the treasure of the Bank of England.
